Prisoners of Fate
by Legacy of the Avatar
Summary: Katara is enslaved to Master Chen, a man with ego problems. While she is waiting for Aang and Sokka to save her, Zuko is captured. The two escape and begin the hunt for Aang and Sokka.
1. Chapter 1

Take my advice; never go on a journey with a hyperactive twelve-year-old and a stubborn, ignorant fifteen-year-old who hit puberty before he was ready. You will never be the same. Especially if you throw in the fact that the twelve-year-old has to save the world by summer's end and happens to be the Avatar who disappeared over one hundred years ago.

My life had been simple enough before Sokka and I found Aang. I got up, I did chores, I practiced a little Bending, I ate, and I went to bed. Then, I had _one _tantrum and _wham! _My life changed forever.

A prime example of this would be when Aang, Sokka, and I had just escaped from the swamp. That powerful female Firebender had found us at a small village and we had to make a run for it.

"Aang! Can't you do something?" I called, ducking one of the blasts of blue fire as I dashed towards Appa.

"Hold on!" He sent a blast of air at the three girls chasing us. It didn't deter them one bit. "Nope!" Aang called back, picking up the pace. Sokka and I followed suit, reaching Appa not a moment too soon. The one with the weapons sent some of those sharp circular things at the spot where my foot had been not half a minute earlier.

"Let's get outta here!" Sokka cried. Appa didn't need the customary call of "yip yip!" to get him going. With a groan, the flying bison took off.

I collapsed as soon as we were airborne. Momo hopped over to me and curled in my lap; absently, I stroked him. "That was close," I murmured.

"Too close," my brother replied, looking down at our pursuers. "It almost makes me wish Zuko was chasing us again; he didn't have creepy weapons at his disposal. Smelly ones, but not creepy." I shuddered at the rather repulsive memory of the hot sticker the Fire Prince had shot at us on the Solstice. It had taken weeks for me to get the smell out of my nose and hair.

Aang looked over his shoulder. "I don't think we should land tonight," he said. "Those Fire Nation citizens might catch up to us if we camp."

"Fine by me," I remarked. "I didn't want to get stuck with cooking duty like I always do anyway."

I began to dig through the food packs to find something easy that didn't need to be cooked. I found some bread given to us by the General, that chicken stuff from that swamp, dried fish from the North Pole, and some jerky we had gotten from the Northern Air Temple that had amazingly kept for so long. (I wasn't even entirely sure it had started out as jerky.) There was also the food we had bought before that Firebending monster and her cronies had found us.

I pulled out some of the bread and the jerked meat, handing portions to Sokka and Aang. "Um, Katara?" Aang said. "I don't eat meat, remember?" I hit my forehead with my palm.

"Sorry, Aang. Here, take an apple instead," I apologized, taking his jerky and handed him the apple. He gave me that smile of his and bit into the apple eagerly. I smiled and began eating my dinner.

As night drew nearer, I began to feel lethargic. Sokka was already asleep, being the lazy bum he is. Aang was dozing on Appa's head, with Momo on his shoulder. Yawning, I lay down on Appa's saddle and curled my body into a tight ball, falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

I woke up later that night to the sound of flapping. Sitting up, I noticed Momo had dumped most of our supplies overboard. "Momo!" I complained. "Look at what you did!"

"What did he do now?" Sokka groaned, waking up. I pointed to the supply pack.

"All of our food, gone! He chunked it over the side of Appa!" Aang stood and picked up Momo. (My cries must have awoken him.)

"Bad Momo!" he rebuked. "Now we have to stop and get more food in the morning!" I leaned over the side of Appa.

"You're in luck; there's a village just below us," I told Aang.

"We'll stop when in gets light," he decided, sighing at Momo's blatant waste of supplies. "Y'know, for a lemur, you sure cause a lot of trouble," I heard Aang say.

It became light not long after this discussion and we landed outside the village. "Okay, we go in, we get our supplies, we get out. Got it?" Sokka said in a hushed tone. Aang and I nodded, following my older brother into the village.

It took longer than we would have liked to get the food to replenish our stocks. I had to argue over the price of some miniature melons with a merchant, Aang had to keep running from dogs that smelt Momo on him and wanted to hunt, and Sokka kept getting confused and lost in the market. By the time we had bought sufficient supplies, it was already noon.

"Come on," I whispered to Aang and Sokka when we met up with each other again. "I don't think we should be here this long. I don't want anyone to find us-" I was cut off by a cruel voice somewhere behind us.

"Yes, he has a blue arrow on his forehead." It was that girl from Omashu.

"Hey, Azula! There they are!" The bubbly one that had taken away my bending away momentarily had spotted us.

"Run!" Sokka screamed. The three of us went off in different directions like greased lightning. Aang headed straight for Appa, Sokka went further into the village, and I headed out into the woods surrounding the village.

I wish I hadn't.

I ran and dodged the branches that stood in my way, while at the same avoiding the sharp weapons thrown at me by that girl. (I later learned her name was Mai.) "You really think you can escape? Azula will already have caught your friend the Avatar and that annoying loudmouth," she taunted.

"And she'll have a hard time stopping the bison from wrecking the village and crushing her," I replied. Appa would get riled if Aang got captured.

Suddenly, my pursuer stopped, shock etched on her features. Looking back ahead of me, the last thing I saw was the inside of a burlap sack before I was knocked unconscious.

* * *

"Unnh," I moaned. Gingerly, I moved my hand to my head. As I lifted one hand, I was perplexed as my other moved with it.

A gentle hand stayed my hand. "Be still now. You got a nasty bang from Ke Lin's sword hilt and your head is going to be hurtin' for some time, even after I heal the bump." I felt water touch my head; the pain receded, not much, but enough so every little sound didn't send a jolt of pain through my cranium. Slowly, I cracked my eyes open.

A kindly older woman with sliver hair was standing over me. I recognized her hairstyle to be one from the Water Tribes. She was a Waterbender, which would explain the way she had helped my head with merely water.

"Thank you," I said. Looking down at my hands, I realized they were bound with some rope. "Where am I? What happened?" I sat up. _Were Aang and Sokka okay?_

The woman pushed me back down gently. "You ran into Master Chen's Slavecatchers, that's what happened." _Slavecatchers? _Oh, no. That was not good. I turned my attention back to the woman, who was still talking. "Ke Lin, the one that knocked you out, sent you here, still out cold. I was told to revive you and keep you here until Master Chen has time to see you."

"Will you explain that again? Only, skip to the part about slavecatchers," I asked, trying to take it all in. The woman smiled sadly.

"You've been captured by the Slavecatchers; that's their title. Master Chen sends them out into the forest to capture wayward travelers and bring them here. He shows no preference. Fire Nation, Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, he doesn't care. All the Water Healers, like me, work here in the Infirmary, the Firebenders work either in the kitchen, keeping food hot, or in the furnace. Earthbenders are usually stuck building Master Chen's mansion, which gets larger with each passing month. All of those who can't bend are sent to the fields."

"What about regular Waterbenders?"

"Cleaning," the woman said with a shrug. "Why? Can't you heal?" She seemed to get worried

I gingerly shook my head. "No, I can heal." The woman relaxed.

"Thank Spirits. Here, drink this. It's bitter, but it'll help your head. By the way, I'm Soon-Yi." I took the drink from Soon-Yi and sipped at it slowly. It _was _bitter.

It was almost three hours later before anyone else remembered I was there. Soon-Yi was checking up on me when a man in all black stalked over. "Master Chen demands that the new girl be brought to him at once," he ordered without so much as a "hello". Soon-Yi bowed and helped me to stand. My legs were a little weak, but I stumbled my way after the man.

He led me to an amazingly bright chamber. "Enter," he ordered, opening the door. I stumbled through the entryway only to be thrust down onto the ground but spearbutts.

I saw silk-clad feet circle me, as if I was some prize mount he was inspecting. Hands clutched my chin and forced my mouth open, why is still beyond me. A cold, cruel voice rang out.

"Can you bend?" I nodded. "Can you heal?" Another nod from me. I was too shocked to speak. "Good. Give her two days rest, then put her to work in the Infirmary." I felt rough hands seize me and drag me off down halls I hadn't been down yet.

I was bodily thrown into a room with a small window on the right wall. A door slammed somewhere behind me. I struggled to get myself upright.

I was in a cell, there was no other term for it. A single cot, a small fireplace, the window, and the door. I saw a sharp stone, walked over to it, and cut my bonds. Suddenly, there was a knock. I turned to see Soon-Yi.

"Master Chen sent me with these." She held up what appeared to a cotton tunic and skirt. "And to bring you food. It's not much, but it's food." Soon-Yi handed me some bread and jerked beef, along with a cup of icy water.

"Thanks," I said, taking the offered things. "What is going around here? Who is this Chen guy and what right does he have to enslave people?"

"One, always refer to him as Master Chen, or just plain Master," Soon-Yi told me. "He grew up in a family that still harbored the old 'prisoners-of-war become servants' thing. When left home, he set up a secret hideaway and captured anyone who trespassed in the forest. No one ever escapes here, try as they might. Any who try are killed instantly."

"So, I'm stuck here until Aang and Sokka find me?" I muttered. Soon-Yi paid no attention to me.

"You're lucky; you have a single room so far. Some here have three people in a one-person room. The next person Master Chen captures will more than likely be stuck here with you, so enjoy it while you can. I need to get back to the Infirmary. See you later."

It was several hours after her departure that the realization that I was, at the moment, _slave _to some man with ego problems hit. Sitting down on the cot, I held my head in my hands and began to cry inconsolably.

* * *

There, my first chapter to "Prisoners of Fate". I wanted to call it "Prisoners of Love", but that title was taken! Grrr... Oh well. Yes, this will be Zutara. (You have to ask?)


	2. Chapter 2

The updates might be a bit slower on this one; I just got Kingdom Hearts from a buddy and I'd like to beat it before I'm old and need a walking stick.

* * *

My two days of rest were over before I could blink. On the third day, Soon-Yi was knocking on my door. "Hurry and change into those clothes I gave you! You need to be in the Infirmary in ten minutes!"

"Where is it? I was sorta out of it when they took me," I pointed out.

"Just down the hall and to the right. It's the only room that has double doors down here." I assumed that we were partially underground. "You can't miss it. Hurry!" By her tone, I assumed something bad happened to latecomers. As soon as Soon-Yi left, I hurriedly changed from my blue dress into the scratchy cotton outfit she had given me and left.

Walking down the halls, I saw Benders of all Nations hurrying off to whatever, and the one who couldn't bend were rushing of to the fields, if I remembered what Soon-Yi had told me correctly.

Soon-Yi was right; you couldn't miss the sickbay. Moans of agony rent the air around it. "Good Spirits," I muttered. "Is this an infirmary or an execution hall?"

"Both." A voice behind me made me jump in shock. "Sorry. Mother always said I was too quiet for my own good." I turned to see an Earthbender behind me. He had a serious wound on his right arm. "Most who go in die from infection three days later."

"That's awful," I remarked. "What happened to you?"

"Oh, I cut myself with a sharp rock," the Earthbender said nonchalantly. "But Master Chen ordered me to get it healed."

I nodded, then went into the Infirmary. Upon entrance, I gasped.

How could I have missed _this_ when I was here? Healers were tending to infected wounds without hot water, the bandages were filthy, and almost a hundred people were waiting for a healer. I knew it wasn't their fault; that Chen must never give them proper healing supplies. I was utterly appalled at this place.

"I've seen cleaner swamps," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, you! Get to work!" I felt something whippy hit me, causing a stinging sensation on my back. I moved away and began to heal a Firebender with serious burns. (Quite frankly, I was amazed that all Firebenders didn't have burns.)

I spent my entire day that way, avoiding blows from guards and healing those poor souls. Then I went back to my cell, and soon fell asleep.

There were five bells during the course of the day; one to wake everyone up, one to signal when to work, one that allowed us to eat lunch, one to let us know when to head back to our cells, and one to signal sleep. They got annoying after awhile.

I guess it was my fifth day in Chen's, for lack of a better word, possession, when there was a loud explosion just outside the Infirmary doors. A healer nearby remarked, "Must be a Firebender. Only they cause those explosions." Several other healers nodded in agreement and took no more notice of it.

I, on the other hand, watched the guards bring in another wretched captive. He was tall and muscular, but also unconscious. Two guards had to carry his weight, which didn't look to be very easy. Once he was given over to another healer, I ignored him and went back to work.

* * *

It was not long after the bell that signaled for us to return to our rooms when a hard knock shook the door. Not even waiting for me to open it, two guards threw the door open. The Firebender from the Infirmary was shoved in, well and truly trussed up. Also blindfolded with a gag. He must have put up a major fight.

The door slammed shut. Realizing they were expecting me to share a cell that was almost too small for me with a Firebender, I sighed and began to untie him, hands first. The Firebender didn't put up a fight, surprisingly, once he realized what I was doing. The second his hands were free, he set about undoing the gag and blindfold. I helped get his feet loose.

"You must have put up a major fight," I remarked.

"I'm _not _going to be slave to some ignorant bastard," he replied. I froze. His voice was familiar. _Too _familiar.

I stepped back slowly, double-checking it was who I thought it was. Sure enough, the scar was there.

It was Prince Zuko.

"Spirits above, why on earth did they put you in_ my_ room?" I exclaimed. Zuko snorted as he stood up. He was shaky, but he tried to hide.

"This is great. I get captured, told I'm supposed to be some idiot's slave, and stuck in room with a Water Tribe peasant's brat! This is humiliating."

"Hey, how do you think I feel about all this? I hate your gut, and they apparently expect me to sleep in the same room as you!" I cried. "You might just run me through while I sleep and make it look like an accident!"

"How? They took my dagger away, and there would appear to be no weapons here," Zuko pointed out, sweeping he hands around the tiny room.

"You'd find a way," I retorted. He was about to say something, but the bell signaling sleep rang out. "Unless you want to be in serious trouble, my advice would be to go to sleep now," I sighed. "They beat anyone still found awake after that bell." Zuko glared at me, but sat down against the wall, head in hands. I shrugged and climbed onto the cot. The last thing I saw before sleep took me away was the sight Zuko shaking his head and sighing.

* * *

It turned out Zuko had been placed in the furnace room, ordered to keep the entire compound warm. (I had heard that from a guard that passed by the Infirmary at lunch. Of course, he never said a name, just "the new one".) There were about twenty other Firebenders working with him. (Apparently, the compound was rather small.)

I woke up a bit before the bell, a trick Soon-Yi had told me would help me be more focused when the work bell rang out. I looked over at the Fire Prince, who was asleep, leaning against the wall. _To wake him up or not to wake him up,_ I asked myself. I toyed with the idea of letting him sleep until the work bell, but I knew that severe beatings would greet both him and me. Zuko for sleeping late and me for not waking him up.

Sighing, I rolled off the cot and walked over to Zuko. "Hey, wake up," I said in a hushed tone, shaking the Fire Prince. Thank heaven he was nothing like Sokka; one shake was it all took to wake him up.

"What?" he snapped at me.

"Hey, if you want to be working in a furnace half-asleep, fine by me," I said, hands up in submission. "The sooner you wake up, the less likely you'll get beaten. There's a bell, but the work bell is only ten minutes after that. Hardly enough time to wake up properly."

Zuko stood and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, thanks, then." I looked at Zuko in shock. Gratitude? Wow.

The bell to signal morning rang. Ten minutes later, right on time, the bell for work rang out. "See you tonight, sadly," I remarked to Zuko as I headed for the Infirmary.

Three furnace workers visited the Infirmary before lunch. "I can't believe it's come down to it," one said to me.

"Come down to what?" I asked, curious.

"Well, in case you haven't heard, Prince Zuko is working in the furnace. Rumors are going around now that his father is hunting him, making him a wanted man!"

I had to stifle a gasp. That was just horrible.

Another Firebender, also working in the furnace, added, "Don't forget the general. He's Ozai's own brother!"

Soon-Yi shook her head. "As my husband said before he passed on, Ozai is a bastard and that's all there is to it."

"You over there! Quiet! Slaves are not allowed to talk to one another!" a guard called out. Soon-Yi and I bowed and kept quiet.

The day could not be over fast enough. There were a lot more burned Firebenders in the Infirmary this time then there had ever been, according to Soon-Yi. The bell rang and I was one of the first ones to get out the door.

I reached the room before Zuko, so I used the basin of water that had been left there by a guard to wash a bit. (I smelled. End of story.)

With my back towards the door, I didn't see Zuko come in. I heard him stumble in, apparently exhausted. "About time," I remarked, turning to face him. "The bell rang…" I trailed off when I got a good look at him.

He was covered in open cuts and bruises. Zuko must have caused a lot trouble to be so badly hurt. "What on earth happened to you?" I asked incredulously.

Zuko glared at me through his good eye, which just happened to be his scarred one. (The other was swollen shut.) "I refused to obey that overfed milksop in charge of the furnace. He got mad," he snapped.

"Apparently," I said. "I bet a lot of the Firebenders in the Infirmary today burned themselves to get out of there! You look awful!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Zuko snapped again. "Now, unless you have something else to say, good night."

"Wait, Zuko." I picked up the basin. "If I don't heal you now, you'll never get healed. Soon-Yi, the older lady in the Infirmary, told me that the furnace overseer never sends those he beats to the Infirmary."

"I don't need healing!" Zuko spat. I rolled my eyes.

"That's like saying you don't need water. I have never seen anyone so bloodied up before, and running from you, that's saying something. Sit still…please," I added as an afterthought. Why I wanted to be polite to that bastard, I'll never know.

Surprisingly, my politeness worked. Zuko sat still and allowed me to heal his face. It wasn't long before I was done. "Did he get you anywhere else?" I asked, dreaded the answer.

"Yes; my back." I groaned inwardly. Why were the Spirits putting me in these predicaments?

"Are they severe?"

"No," Zuko said abruptly. I nodded. Thank Spirits.

"Do you want the cot?" I offered. Zuko shook his head and leaned up against the wall. I shrugged and climbed onto the cot to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Do I look like someone who would own Avatar? Didn't think so.

* * *

I woke up with a start. It was still nighttime, long before the bell would ring. Silently, I steadied my breathing and felt my face. It was wet with perspiration. What had happened?

Zuko's voice startled me. "Are you okay?" I jumped and turned to face him. He was standing up, looking at me. In the dark, I couldn't be sure, but he seemed to be slightly concerned. "Your screams woke me up." Never mind.

"I…think I'm okay. I must have had a nightmare, but I don't remember anything of it," I said. "Is there any water in here?"

I heard Zuko reach for the basin. "Here." Taking it, I splashed some water onto my face to cool me down.

"Sorry for waking you up," I apologized. Zuko nodded and sat back down against the wall. He was soon back asleep.

I, on the other hand, found sleep elusive. Oh, sure, I laid back, closed my eyes, and tried, but it didn't work. The thought of my nightmare was too overwhelming.

Right before the first bell, I realized that Zuko was still awake, and had been since I woke him up with my cries. He stood up and didn't have the typical drowsy person gait of the one just waking up.

"How long have you been awake?" I mumbled.

"Since you woke me with those pathetic moans," he snapped. Great, he was cranky.

"Well, sorry for having a nightmare. I'm human, aren't I?" I snapped back. Grumbling, I rolled off the cot and stretched.

The work bell rang out and Zuko and I went our separate paths. I was still sore about being forced into slavery, but the thing about slavery is you really don't have a choice, do you?

Again, more furnace workers came in that day with minor burns that could have waited. "Why the sudden influx of furnace workers?" one healer, a particularly annoying man named Gyro, asked.

"Like I was gonna stay down there and get the rebound from Master Len-Se's whip!" a girl, about my age, replied. "He's been layin' about on the poor prince since he arrived! He's a bloody mess, I'll tell ya."

"Why?" The question was out before I could stop it. I didn't want everyone to think I was showing concern for Zuko; I was just curious.

"Yesterday was the whole 'I'm-not-going-to-do-this' argument that most people have first day," an older furnace worker said. "Today, Master Len-Se is just wailin' on him because he hates any Fire Nation royalty, even the banished and hunted ones. He was born in the Earth Kingdom and was orphaned by the Fire Nation at a young age."

"How young?"

"Ten, I think. Anyway, when he learned that Prince Zuko was captured, he literally _begged _Master Chen to put him in the furnace," the Firebender continued. "I know, I saw it."

That was horrible. This…I don't think he is worthy of the term "man" or "human"…this _monster _was beating on Zuko just for kicks! Though I wasn't overly fond of the Fire Prince, he _was _human (at least, I think he was), and that was just wrong. It made me nauseated.

I learned my first day that lunch was basically the only meal you got hot. Breakfast was a foreign custom here, and dinner was comprised of bread, dried and salted fish, and water from the basins in each cell. I couldn't help but smile to myself when I thought of what Sokka would do with only two meals a day.

The Firebenders from the furnace stayed in the Infirmary all day, the healers tending to them saying they had trumped up injuries. I gathered that here, Nation didn't matter. Everyone was in the same boat, so might as well deal with it. By the time the bell rang, fifteen out of the twenty (not counting Zuko) furnace Firebenders were in the Infirmary.

I wasn't surprised when Zuko arrived late. I was surprised, however, by the amount of open wounds on his face and arms. Yesterday had been primarily bruises.

Carefully, I approached Zuko. "Do you need my healing?" I asked slowly. I knew better than to say "want". Zuko would have snapped at me.

Zuko realized this. "Yes, I need it, but no, I do not want it," he said, trying to keep his temper in check.

"Well, want and need are two totally different things," I replied. "Example, I _want _to be back at the Pole, but (as soon as I get outta here), I'll _need _to go with Aang. You need my healing, yet you don't want it. Unless you want those cuts to get infected, you'd best let me heal you, no complaints."

Zuko realized I was right and sat down on the cot. I grabbed the basin and began to heal the cuts on his face first. His arms were next, followed by his neck. "I…I need to check your back," I muttered. "If he was using a whip, he probably hit your back a lot."

This was an embarrassing situation for both of us, to say the least. I really didn't want to see Zuko's bare, probably bloodied, torso, and he more than likely didn't want me to see it, either. But, in order for me to heal any wounds on his back, he had to remove his shirt.

Sighing, Zuko began to unbutton the cotton tunic he had been forced to put on. I quickly averted my eyes, trying to ignore the fact that a _man _was currently removing his shirt _in my presence and I could do nothing about it!_ Oh, this was awful.

As soon as he had set his tunic aside, I set about healing the horrid whip marks on Zuko's back. I had to swallow to keep my lunch down, the wounds were that bad. I noticed that Zuko seemed to relax as each mark was healed. _Odd. I never knew he could relax, _I thought.

During this healing, which was taking longer than expected, I noticed how, even though he was badly beaten up, Zuko's shaped muscles stood out. (WhyI noticed this, I don't know.) I realized for the first time how strong Zuko must be, but then silently shook my head and focused on healing.

I finished just before that annoying bell rang out. "Not a moment to soon," I muttered, averting my gaze as Zuko redid his tunic. Zuko moved from the bed to the floor, leaning up against the wall. "You can have the cot, y'know," I told him. Zuko just ignored me, feigning sleep. I sighed, laid back on the cot, and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Tending to Zuko's wounds due a sound of beating became part of my nightly ritual. Gradually, after a few days, Len-Se grew tired of picking on Zuko and stopped using the whip for kicks. He resorted to using kicks and slaps.

Zuko took it all very stoically. He never complained about his injuries, and unless I asked, he didn't mention them. I began to wonder what had happened to him to allow him to tolerate this kind of brutal abuse.

But, of course, I never asked. He would have snapped at me and called me a water peasant. I don't think he knew I even had a name.

One day, about a week after I arrived here, Zuko actually came to the Infirmary with burns. "What did you do this time?" I asked under my breath.

"None of your business," he snapped. "Could you please hurry?" I wondered why the rush, but just assumed that Len-Se had threatened Zuko if he didn't hurry.

It didn't take me long before the burns were healed. In a flash, Zuko was gone. "Hmph. Not so much as a thank you," I muttered under my breath.

It wasn't until five minutes afterward that I realized why Zuko had wanted me to hurry. Two buff guards (Soon-Yi said everyone called them Dumb and Dumber), were stomping around, looking for someone. Dumb, who was slightly bigger than his comrade, motioned me over.

"Did ye heal a Firebender jist now?" he asked. "Or d'ye knows sumone who did? We're lookin' for the Waterbender who's been healing that new 'un ev'ry night. Ain't supposed to do that, ye see. Could git herself killed."

I froze. _That's _why Zuko had hurried; if the guards had seen me heal him, they would have killed me first and asked questioned never.

"Um…not that I know of, "I lied boldly. "Healed people with burns, but I've seen Earthbenders with burns." That part wasn't a lie, at least not entirely. I'd seen Earthbending _soldiers _with burns.

Dumber scratched his head. "Uh, what iffen she's lying?" he asked. He wasn't as stupid as he looked.

Dumb scoffed. "Yah, why would a wimpy female lie t'us? It knows we're tougher than she could ever 'ope to be." It? _It? _They were calling me an "it"?

Dumber shrugged and headed off with Dumb. After they left, I nearly passed out.

Later that night, after Zuko had come in, I turned to him. "Thank you," I said.

"Thank you? For what?" he demanded. A week as a slave had done little to cool his haughty attitude.

"Shortly after you left, two guards came looking for the healer who had helped you," I explained. "If you had been there, I might have been killed." Zuko shrugged and turned away.

"Cold-blooded killing isn't honorable; I try to prevent it if I can," he said simply. _Really? Then why don't you speak out against your father?_ I thought. "You're welcome," he added in a barely audible whisper. For some reason, thinking that he had helped me lessened the hate I had felt towards him for so long.

* * *

Of course, almost as soon as I felt slightly different did I go right back to normal.

We were in the cell, doing absolutely nothing the following day. (Every week, Chen gave everyone a day off. How nice. (Note sarcasm.)) Quite needless to say, Zuko and I were at each other's throats. Not literally, but he was starting to get aggravating.

He was just…_sitting _there, meditating. Zuko had muttered about not being able to mediating in a week. (Personally, how anyone can meditate is beyond me.) While he was doing this, I was racking my brain to think of an escape route or rescue path, bouncing ideas off of Zuko, who just ignored me and shot me evil-looking glares.

"No need to be so rude," I told him early in the day. "I'm just trying to think of escape plans."

"Hmph. Good luck," Zuko muttered sarcastically.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"I just don't believe someone with your intelligence can think up a suitable escape plan."

"What? I'm not an idiot; I beat you back in the North Pole. Then the sun came up," I muttered.

"Hmm, so you admit I'm a better fighter?" Zuko asked tauntingly.

"No; if the stupid sun hadn't come up, you'd be a frozen Fire Prince!" I replied. "Now, unless you wanna stay here for years, you'll let me think of a plan." Zuko smirked and returned to meditating. (Boys can be so aggravating at times, I swear.)

I racked my brain, but came up empty. It was some time after our discussion that Zuko remarked, "Thought of anything yet?"

"No, I haven't," I snapped. "I'm tried, hungry, and haven't had a decent meal in several days. You try thinking of decent plans when you can hardly think!"

"Hmph." I smirked inwardly. _Hmph?_ That was the best comeback he could think of? Ha, so much for the "great Prince Zuko".

There was more silence, and it began to drive me buggy. I was used to chatter, having traveled with Sokka and Aang for who knows how long. "How long do you think we'll be here?" I asked.

Zuko glared at me. "Too long," he replied. "Any length of time here would feel like an age." He sighed. "Now I know how the commoners feel in the Fire Nation."

"What? I thought the Fire Nation was winning the war," I said. The mention of people being worse off than the South Pole (and that was pretty bad) surprised me.

Zuko turned to me. "The Fire Nation is winning the war, but at the cost of high taxes, which in turn cause the common people to be worse off then they were before the war." He seemed ready to stop talking, but I had to hear more.

"How are they worse off? What's the state of things?" I asked.

"Before my great-grandfather started the war, the common person was able to pay taxes and still buy silk. It was rather cheap silk, but it was silk. Now, they're lucky if they can afford extremely cheap homespun."

"How cheap?"

"Half a copper piece."

I was speechless. That was ridiculous. Even the South Pole had a couple of gold pieces. "Why don't the people do something?"

"They tried to a few years ago. My father merely sent his soldiers out and wiped out half of the Fire Capital," Zuko said. I studied him. Was he ashamed at his father's actions? He continued. "I've seen paintings of the Fire Capital long before the war. It used to be a place where everyone was treated equally, regardless of his or her social status. Now the common person is there only to fill the required numbers my father has for his troops. They live in squalor and barely have enough to eat."

"How do you know this? I figured that the Fire Prince wasn't allowed to leave the confines of his palace," I said, with a bit of contempt in my voice.

"I would sneak out when I was younger," Zuko admitted. I smirked. Who knew Zuko disobeyed his parents?

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door, interrupting what was dangerously close to a civil conversation between the prince and me. It was Soon-Yi.

"I'm on ration duty again," she said. "Here. It's not much, but the rule is 'no work, little food'."

I shook my head as I took the proffered food. "Why doesn't anyone complain?"

Soon-Yi smiled sadly. "We value our health and lives too much to," she said, heading down the passage. I thought about, shrugged, and turned back into the cell.

"Here," I said, handing Zuko the bread Soon-Yi had given.

"That…bastard is starting to annoy me," he muttered, speaking of Chen.

Laughing slightly, I remarked, "Me, too."

* * *

Ugh, my email provider is on the fritz, so...yeah. Can't access it. 


	5. Chapter 5

The next day saw all the captives, myself and Zuko included, working double. The excuse? We were lazy yesterday, and Chen wanted us to make up for it.

"He was the one who gave us the day off!" Zuko muttered under his breath when he woke up. I rolled my eyes in agreement and shrugged.

"D'you want to argue?" I asked. Zuko shook his head and left for the furnace.

It was a typical day in the Infirmary. I met a young Water Tribe warrior that had been captured when he became lost. It turned out that he had come across my father once, and he was fine. This warrior couldn't bend, so he was stuck in the fields. "It ain't bad," he said. "The fact we get beat more is compensated by the sunlight an' fresh air." By his speech mode, I assumed he either had been truant at school or never went to school.

Shortly after the warrior left (he said his name was Jeson), Dumb and Dumber came ambling in, drunk. You could smell ale all the way from the entrance to the back of the room, where I worked.

"Are ye sure she had a necklace on, Jai?" Dumb asked. Dumber, who was apparently name Jai, nodded.

"Yep. Blue, wi' a wavy thing in th' center. Looked like one of them betrothal thingies th' Water Tribe males give them females." I cringed inwardly at their comments. They made it sound like we were animals.

"I think the ale is messin' wi' yer brain, Jai. Chen made sure that none of th' slaves posses anythin' fancy-like or pretty," Dumb scoffed.

"Hey, I knows what I saw, Ke-Yen," Dumber shot back. "Me eyes are the better ones, remember?"

"How kin I fergit? Ye won't shut up about it," Dumb muttered, coming closer. I was extremely nervous that they might notice my necklace again and realize that Dumber was actually smarter than he looked. (It was rather hard not to be smarter than he looked.)

Suddenly, there was loud crash outside. Dumb and Dumber, being guards, drew their whips and headed out to see what happened, followed by a majority of the Infirmary. I trailed behind at the end of the crowd. When I heard a familiar yell, I sped up though.

Zuko had attacked a guard for no apparent reason and was winning. By the looks on the others faces, they were all seriously hoping Zuko would kill the guard, but could not show it. Deep down, I hoped Zuko wouldn't get hurt. Somewhere between his arrival and now, I'd grown used to Zuko and could tolerate him much more than before. The thought of him getting hurt scared me.

Just then, who I later learned to be Len-Se, came forth and started beating Zuko. Before I could stop myself, I interrupted.

"Sir! Please don't do that! He suffers from uncontrollable bouts of rage at times and isn't quite himself," I said, remembering to bow. "He hadn't had one in several months, and I don't understand what happened just now."

Zuko, whose back was bleeding profusely, looked at me. I sent him a look that begged him to play along. He understood. He threw the guards that had pinned him to the ground off, stood up, and sent a burst of fire at the roof _from his mouth. _Who knew he could breathe fire?

I ran over and made a show of trying to calm him down. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Len-Se, hoping he would fall for it.

Thanks be to the Spirits, he did. "You two are dismissed early," Len-Se said. "Take a basin of water and heal his back in your quarters." _Quarters _was a fancy word for the tiny cell I shared with Zuko, but I didn't say that. Instead, I bowed, murmured a thank you, and went back in to get a basin.

By the time I had returned, Len-Se had returned to the furnace, leaving Zuko alone in the hall. I motioned for him to follow, which he did. We arrived at the cell.

"You couldn't have thought up a better excuse?" he asked the second the door was shut. I sighed.

"Hey, I was trying to save your life, Zuko. That was the first thing that came to mind, so I used it. I didn't have time to think of something else," I pointed out. "A few more seconds and you might be unconscious, if not dead."

Zuko huffed and sat down. He paused, then muttered, "Thank you."

"Y-you're welcome," I stammered, slightly thrown by his gratitude. "Now, I need to heal your back. Orders," I added before he protested. He sighed and began to remove his tunic.

I sat behind him on the cot. I had to stifle a gasp as I took in the level of damage done on his back. Slowly, gently, I began to heal the open wounds and cleaning the blood that had begun to dry. I felt my own blood boil; how could someone do this to another human? Grant you, no doubt Zuko deserved some of this punishment, but this was going too far.

"There," I announced once I was finished. "Your back is healed. Did he get anywhere else?"

Zuko shook his head. "Just my back," he replied, redressing. I didn't think to avert my eyes as I watched him. I noticed, as though for the first time, how defined Zuko's muscles were. I had this strange, sudden urge to feel his arms around me, to rest in Zuko's embrace.

Then I mentally slapped myself. What on earth was I thinking? My brain was telling me to keep Zuko as far away from me as possible. That wasn't very far, given the fact the cell we shared had about one hundred square feet of floor space, and the cot took some of that up. Then the small fireplace was carved in the rocks, which took up some more space. All in all, there was not a lot of room to dodge people.

The sound of the dismissal bell rang out and brought me back to earth. "Do you want the cot?" I offered, though I thought I could guess the answer.

Tonight, however, Zuko surprised me and nodded his head. I got up, getting the kink outs that had formed while healing. "Oh! Ah, that hurt!" I moaned, rubbing a stiff spot on my leg. "I think a night or so on the floor will actually do me some good. Oh, I wish Sokka and Aang would find me soon," I muttered.

"Be lucky that someone will come looking for you." Zuko's comment startled me. What did he mean by that? I turned to ask him, but the bell rang and I had to remain silent, or I might get the lash next time. So, I had to content myself with a curious look in Zuko's direction before laying down on the floor to sleep.

* * *

Short, yes, but I was empty. Don't worry, there will be Zutara soon. I just got them to tolerate each other, so give me some more time. 


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up incredibly early, even for me, and yet I was completely refreshed. I lay still, watching the darkness around me. I could just see the moon through the small window in the cell.

The sound of someone stirring got my attention. I feigned sleep and watched Zuko on the cot. He moved a bit more, then stood up. Silently, the Fire Prince lit the fire in the grate; he watched it, his body unmoving.

_What are you thinking about, Zuko? What makes you tick? And why did you attack the guard yesterday?_ That last question had me baffled. Yeah, Zuko was a little sadistic in my opinion, but he wasn't stupid.

I sighed. My breath startled Zuko, who spun around.

"Katara? Are you awake?" I sat up and stretched.

"Yeah. And you remembered my name. Wow," I said. "I didn't think you knew I had one."

"How could I not?" he muttered, barely audible.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. Suddenly, I shivered. Though it was early spring, the cell was cold. (I guessed we were somewhere in the mountains.) The floor was a lot colder than the cot, probably due to the stones getting colder faster and staying colder longer than the rough cotton that covered the cot.

"I've never realized how chilly it gets in here," I remarked, standing up and walking to the fire. It was remarkably warm, given the time it had been lit. I stood next to Zuko, chasing the early morning chill from my bones.

The morning bells rang about an hour later. Zuko extinguished the flames and we went our separate paths.

* * *

"Soon-Yi, I have a question." It was totally random, but it had been bugging me since day one. "If there are so many Benders and fighters enslaved here, why don't we rebel?" I said that last word very quietly, making sure none of the guards could hear.

"I've been wonderin' the same thing," a healer next to me asked.

"Yeah, why don't we?"

Soon-Yi hushed us. "None of you were here, so I'll tell you. I was in the first batch of captives Chen took. My husband, Ryun, was with me as well. Ryun was not about to let someone control his life, and that of his wife and newborn son. So, he and some other fighters, Fire Nation and Earth Nation, too, started a rebellion.

"Chen merely let them tire themselves out, then cut them down. He also killed one person from each fighter's family, as a warning for the rest of us." Soon-Yi paused. "He left me alive, but he took all that really ever mattered to me."

We were silent. I wasn't sure about the other healers, but hearing Soon-Yi's story made me more determined to escape, and maybe liberate the others.

Suddenly, I was roughly grabbed from behind and spun around. I couldn't gasp or cry out, though I wanted to when I saw who had crept up on me.

"Zuko! What are you doing?" I whispered.

"Saving your life," was all he said before knocking me out cold. Just before I lost total conscious, I saw the shapes of Dumb and Dumber come up to Zuko.

I don't know how long I was out. All I knew is that I was going to kill Zuko as soon as I could. When I woke up, I found myself on the cot in the cell. "What time is it?" I moaned.

"Just after lunch," Zuko answered. _Zuko!_

"Why did you hit me so hard? How is knocking me out cold saving my life?" I demanded, each word giving me a headache.

"Those guards, the two idiots, are looking for you. I don't know why, or who ordered them to. All I know is that, if they find you, they will kill you. They have their orders," Zuko explained. "You're excuse of anger problems made a perfect explanation as to why I knocked you out. Apparently, some of the higher ups suffer as well, so uncontrollable outbursts are normal and the slaves that suffer don't get beaten."

I was shocked. I was being hunted. "How on earth am I going to get out of this alive?" I asked.

"Taking off your necklace." I looked at Zuko. "They recognize you by your necklace. If you don't have it, they will have a hard time of finding you."

"You're right," I agreed and instantly removed my mother's necklace. I got up slowly and put it with my blue dress, which was hidden in the corner.

Something struck me. "Is that why you attacked the guard?" I asked him, turning to face him. I studied him carefully.

Zuko looked out the window. "Yes. They spend most of their time near the furnace and I heard their plans to hunt for you again."

I looked at Zuko. "Thank you," I murmured. Suddenly, I shivered and sat down hard. "You hit me too hard, Zuko." I made as if to get up, but I found I couldn't move.

Zuko walked over to me and helped me to stand. "I'm sorry. Knocking you out was the only way I could get you out of there." Sincere apologizes? Would wonders never cease?

He helped me to the cot and handed me the basin of water. Gingerly, I healed the bump on my head. It helped a bit, but I was still sore. I leaned back against the wall.

"Don't go to sleep," Zuko warned. I nodded. Sleeping with a minor concussion (which I later learned Zuko had given me) was not good for the first hour or so of getting it. Instead, I sat back and watched Zuko.

He went to the fireplace and relit the embers. They flew up in a huge flame and sent warmth radiating throughout. I stopped my shivering for a little bit. Careful not to fall asleep, I closed my eyes and let the warmth from the fire warm me. Slowly, I fell asleep.

When I awoke later, it was to the dismissal bell. "Why didn't you wake me up, Zuko?" I asked, yawning.

"You needed your sleep," came the answer. "Though I expect you'll be going right back to sleep."

I touched my head. "Probably. Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"You have an incredibly hard skull," Zuko said simply. "I mean both literally and figuratively speaking. I have never met someone as stubborn as you." I smiled.

"I know. Dad says I get from my mom; she'd always counter that with my grandfather was the most stubborn man the village had ever seen." I paused. "Is there anything wrong with being stubborn?"

Zuko, who was on the floor, shook his head. For some reason, I felt relieved.

Just then, the last bell rang out. "You're sleeping on the cot, Katara, so don't offer to give it to me," Zuko ordered. I just nodded, my head hurting again. Leaning back, I was asleep in ten seconds.


	7. Chapter 7

I just wanted to say thanks to my reveiwers. You guys rock.

Disclaimer(can't remember if I put one in already): I don't own Avatar.

* * *

Strong arms encircle me. I feel safe, as I never have before. I'm lying on a bed of silk, not the rough cotton of the cot.

I am pulled tight against a strong, muscular chest. My hair is out, and whoever has a hold of me buries his face in it.

"Katara," he whispers, his voice low and sultry. I moan with pleasure. "Katara."

"Katara."

"Katara? Katara, get up."

I woke up with a jolt. _It was just a dream,_ I realized with a hint of disappointment. I was still enslaved to a bastard with ego problems.

Zuko was standing over me. "The man in charge around here is giving you a day, due to the concussion."

"That doesn't sound like Chen," I said, getting up.

"I know. That's what worries me," Zuko said. "He might be trying to get to you when no one is around to help you."

"Namely you," I replied, smirking. "I think I'd be fine on my own. Besides, the furnace isn't that far from here, is it? I'm sure you can make it back to me should something happen." I couldn't resist teasing him for attacking the guards for my protection. It was unlike Zuko to do that.

Zuko glared at me. He looked ready to say something, but the work bell rang. "See you," he muttered, leaving me alone.

I wished he hadn't left later that day.

* * *

It was about lunch before anything happened. I had been sitting around, doing nothing, when a loud bang startled me. "That doesn't sound good," I muttered, getting up. Before I opened the door to our cell, I put on a pained expression.

Two guards I had never seen before were standing there. "Come here, girl," one snapped. Before I had time to reply, his partner had snatched me out roughly by the shoulder. My arms were pinned back and tied. They slipped a blindfold over my eyes and shoved me around. They were yelling something, but I couldn't understand what. All I understood was that I was in trouble.

Finally, the two guards stopped buffeting me around and untied my hands. They left the blindfold on, though, and just rebound my hands in front of me. "Hold her still," one ordered. I felt myself being pressed against the stone wall and heard the other guard (the one who had spoken) take out something that cut the air.

It was a whip.

I barely had time to gasp before the whip descended on my back. I bit back a scream. I felt it again, this time harder; I yelped and felt hot tears flood my blinded eyes. What had I done to deserve this?

The guard continued beating me, my cries getting louder and longer. No sooner did I hush did he lash out again. His partner traded places with him at one point, taking the lash and hitting me in the head with it. I slipped to the floor, unconscious.

I don't know how long I lay there; all I know is when I awoke, the whipping had stopped and people were surrounding me. I could tell by the noise, even though the blindfold was still on.

"Poor dear." It was Soon-Yi. I made as if to move, but cried out in agony. "Stay still, dear."

"What did I do to deserve this?" I moaned, crying. Soon-Yi removed the blindfold. I was on my side; Soon-Yi's look was sympathetic.

"You happened to be the one still in your room, so the guards (who were drunk, by the way) decided to beat you. They'll do that at times, randomly beat someone. You didn't do anything except get a concussion yesterday."

"What's going on?" Soon-Yi turned and moved back. Zuko had come up. Seeing me in the passage, in great pain, did something to Zuko I will never really understand.

"Who did this?" he demanded.

"The two guards who were off today, Le-Son and Heish," Soon-Yi explained. "It's because she was in her room, alone." Then she whispered something to Zuko so quietly, I didn't catch it. Zuko's golden eyes flared up and he whispered something back.

"No! That would make it worse!" Soon-Yi replied. "Just take her back to your room and wash her back. Don't try to do anything else." Zuko seemed to agree and came closer.

He bent down and lifted me up gingerly. I gasped in pain when he touched my back. "I'm sorry, Katara," he murmured softly. "I know it hurts."

If I hadn't been in extreme pain at that moment, I would have questioned him. I had heard that gentleness was a crime in the Fire Nation, yet here was the Prince of the Fire Nation caring me as if I were made of glass. (I felt like I was at the moment.)

The door had remained open, the guards never bothering to close it. Zuko entered and set me down on the cot, careful to lay me on my side. I watched as he took the basin and ripped off part of the cot's coverlet. He heated the water up a bit and wet the cloth. I moaned in pain as Zuko dabbed the cuts on my back with the water.

"These wounds aren't so bad once the blood is washed off," Zuko assured me. "But you might have some scars."

"Anything is better then the actual cuts," I said. "It feels like giant fire ants are biting my back." The pain was gradually receding, but it still hurt.

I found myself relaxing at Zuko's gentle touch. I knew that Zuko could be hard and almost cruel, having been at the receiving end of his attacks several times, but now he seemed a different person.

"There, I'm done. You'll need a new tunic, though," Zuko said. I gingerly moved around, wincing.

"Thanks. I wish there was some way I could heal myself, though. I can't reach," I said, seeing Zuko's confused look. "Besides, the pain would have stopped me." I then became aware of the fact that my shirt was practically in pieces; I pulled the cotton coverlet up.

Just then, there was a soft knock. It was Soon-Yi. She held out a shirt for me.

"A spare one from the laundry for you, Katara. My husband's sister works there," she added. I nodded my thanks, but couldn't get up to get it. Zuko saw my problem and went to get the shirt. He thanked Soon-Yi and shut the door.

He set the shirt on the foot of the cot. I took it, wincing at the jolt of pain that went through my back. There was silence.

Finally, I took a deep breath. "Thanks, Zuko," I whispered. Zuko looked at me with a look I had never seen on him before.

"Don't mention it," he grunted, sitting down against the wall. "Bastards," I heard him mutter.

"What?" I asked. "Who're bastards?" He wasn't calling me a bastard, was he?

"The guards who beat you and that…idiot who runs this place. You've done nothing and they treat you like a criminal. There's no honor treating a young girl like that."

"Not that I'm arguing with your complaints," I said, "but I'm not that young. I'm fourteen. Actually, if I kept count of days right, I'm fifteen. My birthday should have been about a week ago." Suddenly, I yawned. "Excuse me; I'm exhausted."

"You should get some sleep. I don't think that bastard will allow a day off," Zuko muttered darkly. I nodded and tried to get comfortable on my side. (It wasn't easy.) Eventually, I fell asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up extremely stiff the next morning. "Agh!" I cried when I attempted to move. My cry woke Zuko up.

"What's wrong?" he asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

"I can't move for some reason," I explained. "I think it's from my wounds."

"Of course it is," Zuko muttered. He got up and went around behind me. He heated some of the water and wet the rag in it. I tensed as he gently washed my wounds again. The moon had gone down, but dawn was a good way off.

Just as day's first light was creeping into the cell, I felt the pain in my back recede. I turned to thank Zuko, but my voice caught in my throat.

The morning light hit Zuko's face such way that the scar seemed to melt into the shadows. I saw his unscarred side, glowing in the morning light; before I could stop myself, I realized how handsome the Fire Prince was when he wasn't out to get me. The sunlight made his shaped muscles stand out even more, and I was once again overcome with a longing to rest in his embrace.

Finally, I came to my senses. "Thank you, Zuko, again," I muttered. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to put on that new shirt Soon-Yi gave me." Zuko nodded, then turned away, heading to the grate.

"I'm not sure I trust the guards that work in the infirmary," Zuko said. I frowned. Why was he being so protective? He knew as well I did that I could hold my own in a fair fight.

"Why not?" I asked, buttoning my shirt up. "The only two that appear to be looking for me are the dumb ones."

"That's why I'm worried. The most incompetent people can find what they're looking for by complete accident," Zuko said. "That's how I was found out when I was about ten and I had taken my father's sword to hide." I giggled.

"You stole your father's sword and hid it? I didn't expect that you would do something like that, Zuko," I said, slowly getting and joining him.

"I've done a lot of things I shouldn't have, stealing the least of them," Zuko whispered. I wanted to press him for more information, but the bell rang, so I couldn't. We waited the ten minutes until the work bell, then went our separate ways.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Soon-Yi asked me at lunch.

"Sore. Extremely sore," I told her. "Zuko had to help me get up this morning." Soon-Yi looked at one of the healers next to her, but said nothing.

"About this prince of yours…" Soon-Yi began, "how do you feel about him?"

"I don't _hate _him, if that's what you mean. What are you implying, Soon-Yi?" I asked. "That I, well, _like_ Zuko?" Soon-Yi just looked me expectantly. "You're not serious, are you?" Soon-Yi shrugged.

"You two seem to take a lot of comfort from the other's presence, that's all I'm saying," she said just as the signal to go back to work rang.

I was distracted the rest of the day. Soon-Yi's comment kept repeating itself over and over again in my head. I did feel safer whenever Zuko was near, but I wasn't going to admit that. And yet…I couldn't deny the longing to rest in his embrace, or his gentleness towards me.

_It's probably just because you feel safe with him about, _I told myself. _Who can blame you? He's certainly strong enough to help you should you need it. _

I was wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't realize I bumped into someone until I heard them muttering.

"Sorry! My mind was elsewhere," I apologized. I felt even more embarrassed when I saw the burn marks on his back.

"It's fine." I gasped when I heard Zuko's voice.

"What happened?" I asked. He mouthed "later"; a guard had just walked past and was looking at us funnily. I nodded and went on to our room.

Once there, Zuko turned to me. "To answer your question, I wasn't concentrating and leaned against some hot embers," he admitted.

"Why on earth didn't you go to the Infirmary?" I asked, taking the basin and motioning for Zuko to sit. He sat.

"I would have had to explain that I had thoughts that revolved around something other than complete and utter servitude," Zuko said disdainfully. Gently, I healed the burns. Some of them were minor, but others were slightly worse.

"What were you thinking about?" Zuko paused.

"Nothing," he said. I smirked as I healed.

"That was an awful large nothing, Zuko, if you were so absorbed in your thoughts you got burned," I teased. Zuko pressed his lips in a firm line.

"And why did you bump into me? Absorbed in your thoughts?" he taunted back.

"As a matter of fact, yes. But if you think I'm going tell you, you burned more than your back," I replied.

"That's alright; I already know." Zuko smirked. I swatted his head.

"How? I asked. "I haven't told you, and I don't plan on telling you."

"That's how I know." That remark confused me. Zuko stood up and turned to face me. Since he was about a head taller than I was, I had to look up to meet his eyes. The sunlight reflected in his golden eyes, I found his gaze to be burning with such intensity that I had trouble meeting his gaze.

"How does me not telling you tell you what I was thinking of?" I asked, setting the basin down.

"It's more of a 'who' you were thinking of, Katara," Zuko said. I bit my lip. How could he know?

"Well, if you know, then you might as well tell me what you were thinking about," I said, trying to be nonchalant. When Zuko didn't tell me, I smirked. "Thought so; you don't know." I made as if to go to the cot, but Zuko caught my wrist. I shuddered at the sudden flow of warmth from Zuko's touch

"I never said I didn't know, did I?" he asked. "I just didn't answer you." He gave me a look, then let me go. I looked at him, then headed to the cot. I could still feel Zuko's warmth on my wrist, along with the feeling that he watching me. I ignored the feeling and lay down to sleep.

I found sleep elusive and fitful. My head was swarming with Zuko, Soon-Yi's comment, wondering if Sokka and Aang would get me out of here soon, Zuko, the pain in my back, and Zuko. Whenever I did get to sleep, I dreamed half-formed dreams of Zuko and my brother, ready to kill each other over me and Aang looking hurt and betrayed. Then I would awake, shift, and fall back asleep. My dream would change to my mother telling me to go with the flow, something she would tell me when I was having trouble Waterbending. Then I would wake up and begin again.

* * *

Don't worry, more fluff, and an encounter with Momo, are coming up. Sokka and Aang haven't given up on Katara yet. 


	9. Chapter 9

There was a strange purring sound coming from outside the window. Still half-asleep, I turned over…

And screamed.

Momo was sitting outside the window. Zuko, who was on the floor near the cot, jumped up. "What's wrong?" he asked in a heated whisper.

"Momo," I said, pointing to the lemur.

"The Avatar's lemur? What is he doing here?" Zuko went to Momo, who hissed.

"Momo, Zuko's not _that _bad," I said, laughing. "How are Aang and Sokka? Has my gluttonous brother eaten all the supplies?"

Momo squawked and reached for my neck. "What is it, boy?" Momo grabbed for my neck again. "My necklace? They want my necklace? Hold on."

I walked over to the pile where I had hidden my regular clothing and sifted through it until I found the necklace I had taken off to hide my identity from the dumb guards. Grabbing it, I headed back to Momo and gave it too him. "There ya go, boy. It's not food, and I don't have any to give you, sorry. Get going!" Momo chirruped and flew off.

Zuko, who had been standing by the door, walked over to me. "You woke some of the guards up! Hurry, lie back down." I obeyed. Zuko placed his hands on my face and heated them up, making me sweat horribly. He made it looked as if I had been thrashing about.

Just as he finished messing the coverlet up, three guards burst in. "We heard screams; you've awoken the Almighty Master Chen," one said pompously. Man, this guy was stuck-up. Almighty?

"She had a nightmare," Zuko explained, careful not to look the guards in the eyes.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again," the first one ordered, looking over at me. _Good thing Zuko messed the sheets and made me sweaty. _

"Yes sir," Zuko mumbled, bowing. The guards left.

"Good excuse," I told him as soon as they were out of earshot. "You probably saved my life. I owe you."

"I'll remember that." I frowned. That was an odd thing to say. I hope he didn't think I meant…no, of course he didn't.

"It's several hours until the work bell," I said, changing the subject. "Do you want to try and sleep?" Zuko shook his head.

"Once I'm awake, I have trouble getting back to sleep," he said. "And in case you forgot, that bastard is letting the people here have a day off." I nodded and wiped the sweat from my face.

"I'm going to try and sleep, but I probably won't," I said, resting my head on the pillow. Zuko nodded and ignited the fire to warm the cell up. (Even in mid-spring the cell was freezing.)

I lay there for about half an hour, listening to the fire crackling and Zuko's breathing. Finally, I sat up. "Forget it," I muttered. "I can't sleep." I looked at Zuko, who just nodded. He was staring into the fire. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Just thinking," was the short reply.

"About what?" Zuko looked at me. He opened his mouth, then shook his head.

"Nothing important," he whispered. I got up and joined him at the fire. Upon closer inspection, I saw he had a look I had never seen on Prince Zuko before. It was hurt.

"Zuko, something's bugging you," I said gently. "I've spent two weeks or so here with you and you've helped multiple times; I don't think you are purely evil anymore. I just want to try and he…um, understand what makes you tick." I had nearly said "help", which would have been bad. Very bad.

"No, you don't," Zuko muttered. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked," I pointed out. "What's wrong?" On an impulse, I placed my hand on top of his, which was resting on a small ledge. Zuko tensed slightly, but let my hand stay.

"This whole incident," he began softly, "behaving servile to people who despise me, reminds me of my life after my mother was poisoned."

"Poisoned?" I asked, incredulous.

"It was accidental," Zuko said. "It was meant for me."

I gasped slightly. "Who…?"

"Someone who has never liked me," Zuko muttered darkly. Nothing more was said for a while. Strangely enough, Zuko didn't move away from me, nor I from him. If anything, we moved closer.

"I lost my mother too. She was killed in a Fire Nation raid," I murmured. I pictured my mother's mangled, bloody body with burns making it almost unrecognizable. Suddenly, I swayed and fell against Zuko.

"Sorry," I muttered as Zuko helped me to stand.

"It's fine. You're probably still shocked at seeing the Avatar's lemur." He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Do you miss her?" I asked suddenly.

"Who?"

"Your mother. Do you miss her?" Zuko tensed, then relaxed.

"Yes, a bit. It was all several years ago," he whispered. "Back when my uncle laid siege to Ba Sing Se for…almost two years."

"I heard about that," I said. "I didn't know it was your uncle that had laid the siege. Why did he stop just as the city was getting ready to fall?"

Zuko tensed and I realized I hit a sensitive subject. "Sorry," I mumbled. "Didn't realize it was a sensitive subject."

"It's not your fault, Katara. My cousin, Uncle Iroh's son, was killed. My uncle lost all interest in capturing the Earth Kingdom capital. Then my grandfather died, which he says gave him all the gray hair he has now. That and my search for the Avatar." I looked at Zuko. He had lost three members of his family and, if the wanted posters I saw in the villages were anything to go by, his home, and he was still focused on getting Aang. Or so I thought.

"If we ever get out of here, I guess you're going to go back to chasing us," I muttered. Zuko looked at me.

"Are you nuts? Why would I? It's not like it would help," Zuko said bitterly. I felt his hand leave my shoulder. "The only thing I'd succeed in doing would be to give my father two captives, the Avatar, and myself." He sat down on the cot.

I remembered how, days ago, I made a comment about hoping Aang and Sokka would find me soon, and Zuko had said I was lucky. I now guessed that the only people looking for him would be hunting him.

I joined him on the cot. "It could be worse. You could be dead," I said. Zuko looked at me with a look that clearly said he thought I was crazy. "What? I'm right," I pointed out, smiling a bit. Then I grew serious and touched Zuko's shoulder. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. I'm not pitying you," I said, stopping him before he could protest. "I just can't believe how someone could lose three family members and his home and still be as determined as you were to get Aang." Zuko looked at me square on, the firelight dancing on his face.

I realized then how close we were sitting on the cot together. I moved my hand from his shoulder and brushed his cheek. Suddenly, the world wavered and I fell against Zuko again.

"You're exhausted from the excitement," Zuko said again. "There are no bells today, so you should be able to sleep." I nodded and Zuko moved from the cot to stand by the fireplace again. Yawning softly, I laid back and fell asleep.

* * *

fluff, who doesn't love fluff? 


	10. Chapter 10

I woke up a short time later to the sunrise. Zuko had stayed awake the entire night, meditating. "That lemur came back while you slept," he said. "It delivered a note." I stretched, popping my back.

"Did you read it?" Zuko shook his head.

"It hissed at me when I tried," Zuko explained. "Besides, it's yours." He handed me a scroll with Sokka's messy handwriting on it. I took it from him, opened it, and read it aloud. (Not too loud, in case someone heard.)

"'Katara-

"'Don't worry. We'll get you (and that _prince_) out soon. As soon as we get some back up, or Aang starts glowing, whichever comes first.

"'Your big brother.'"

"Glowing? What does he mean by that?" Zuko asked when I finished.

"Aang's Avatar State makes his entire body glow electric blue, almost white," I explained. "He's at his most powerful, but also at his weakest. He could probably destroy this whole place if he was angry enough," I added as an afterthought.

"Hmm, that would be useful," Zuko agreed. At that moment, a roll of thunder so loud it shook the cell rumbled threateningly. "What the heck?" Zuko muttered, getting up to look out the window. I joined him.

"Is that a hurricane?" I asked. We did never have them up at the Pole, but Aang said that storm that Sokka was stuck out in was pretty close to one.

"We're no where near an ocean," he told me. "It's probably just a thunderstorm. I've heard they're worse in the mountains."

"That's true." Traveling on a flying bison for weeks on end takes you over many mountains.

Zuko and I stood watching the approaching storm for about ten minutes before there was a knock on the door. I went to see who it was. It was Soon-Yi.

"Bad news," she said.

"Do you ever have good news?" Zuko muttered. Soon-Yi ignored him and continued.

"That storm has enough strength to destroy the fields and Chen said all Waterbenders and Firebenders are supposed to go out and get the water and lightning at bay." I looked at Zuko, who nodded.

"Tell them that we were both sick when you told us," I said. "And if I have to work for that pompous milksop, I _will _be sick." Soon-Yi looked at me, but nodded and left.

"If you say so," she muttered. I went over to Zuko.

"You can see the fields from here," Zuko pointed out. I looked down at the rows and rows of crops, just budding. Hundreds of Water-and Firebenders were waiting. "They'll be killed," Zuko muttered. "That storm looks powerful enough to kill that bison the Avatar rides with one lightning bolt."

"Chances are killing them is precisely what Chen wants," I said. "Look, here he comes!"

A fat, overweight man in silken robes came out to the field, surrounded by guards. I saw several slaves make evil signs at him.

Just then, it began to rain. At Chen's signal, the Waterbenders jointly bent an umbrella over the tender shoots. Every time lightning hit, Firebenders were forced to be human lightning rods.

"I didn't know Firebenders could do that," I muttered.

"We don't often; sends jolts through our body that could kill, depending on the voltage," Zuko explained.

Suddenly, the winds picked up, sending some of the shoots towards Zuko and me. "Duck!" he cried as a small rock came speeding towards us. "I think we should move away from the window," Zuko said, taking my shoulder and guiding me back to the grate. He wrapped his arms around me protectively.

The storm grew progressively worse. "I thought you said this couldn't be a hurricane!" I called over the wind.

"Guess I was wrong," Zuko said. A medium sized rock came flying at our window. Zuko and I ducked, and I felt his arms tighten around me. We stayed down and hid behind the cot, which was stuck to the floor somehow. I screamed when another rock, this one larger, hit where our heads had been a moment before.

"It's okay, Katara," Zuko murmured in my ear. For some reason, I felt calmer, safer.

We stayed like that for what seemed ages. We couldn't get under the cot, which might have been safer. Every time a rock came towards us, Zuko held me tighter.

But that wasn't the worse part. No, the worse part was the thunder and lightning. Several times I swore I saw the lightning head for us.

Finally, the storm stopped. Cautiously, I popped my head up from behind the bed. The sky was still dark, but it was no longer raining. The first sign of damage was the huge hole in the wall. "I think it's safe now," I whispered to Zuko, though why I was whispering I don't know.

Zuko stood, helping me to stand. Taking my hand, he led me over to the recently made window. "We're not that high off the ground," he noted. We jumped.

The bodies of everyone who had been outside were scattered like dead leaves in the fall, even that of Master Chen. "Good riddance," I muttered. I grew sad, however, when I saw the body of Soon-Yi.

Zuko, on the other hand, chose the practical way and started taking any weapons still in one piece. He tossed the ones that were too large or that neither of us had ever used. "We'll need them when we leave," he told me when I asked him why he was doing this. Zuko found two broadswords and a pearl knife, which he instantly pocketed.

"Did they take those from you?" I asked. Zuko nodded. While he did that, I headed back into the fortress.

The lower regions had been flooded, so I had to bend my way through the bodies and water. I found the furnace, now soaked, and the laundry, also soaked. I remembered hearing how the kitchen was on the second floor, so I found stairs and hoped the pantry was in good shape.

Only the flour and such was ruined. I found two packs and began stuffing anything that would fit into them; when they were full, I found two more and began again. Once I finished, I left.

The body of a guard floated in my path. "Eek," I cringed, careful to avoid him. Soon I was back outside.

"Katara? Katara, where are you?" Zuko sounded worried; he was worried?

"I'm right here. I went into the larder and got some food before it all went bad," I explained, following the sound of his voice. He was standing there, waiting for me with my blue dress and what appeared to be green clothing.

"Here." He handed me my dress. Taking it from him, I looked up at the sky in hopes of seeing Sokka and Aang.

"Is there some way to let them know I'm not dead?" I asked.

"Let who know? Oh, the Avatar." Zuko shrugged. "Hopefully they'll think to look for your body, which they won't find, seeing as how you're still using it. Come on. The faster we get away, the less likely we'll be found."

_By who? _I nearly asked, but the memory of that powerful Firebender girl came to mind, silencing my tongue. She was not someone I wanted to run into. I followed Zuko at a fast walk.

* * *

Don't worry, I'm not done yet. For cryin' out loud, I haven't even gotten into the fluffy stuffs yet. 


	11. Chapter 11

"Let's stop here." I thought Zuko would have never stopped. We had been going for hours and it was almost dark.

A small hot spring was about three yards away, surrounded by bushes. While Zuko got a fire going, I slipped off to bathe and heal my bruises. My flask needed to be refilled as well; it was long since empty.

I kept the clothing I had worn in the fortress on and sank into the hot water, sighing with pleasure at the feel of my element against my dry, dirty skin. It didn't take long to heal my bruises (and completely heal my back), so I floated there, soaking.

"I feel like I've died and gone to the Spirit World," I muttered to no one in particular. Finally, I got out and changed into my blue dress. Gathering my wet things, I headed back to Zuko and the fire.

It was a small fire, but it did its job and warmed us up. I pulled out some fruit I had grabbed and gave an apple to Zuko, keeping one for myself. "Where should we head?" I asked before biting in.

"Do you have any idea where the Avatar was heading to learn Earthbending?"

"Nope. King Bumi said he would teach him, but only after Aang learned more about the three Jins or something like that," I said.

"In that case, our best bet would be to find them, instead of waiting for them to find us," Zuko said. "What direction in relation to the fortress were you in?"

"The village where we ran from that powerful Firebending girl was to the southeast, I think." Zuko paled.

"Powerful Firebending girl? How old was she?" he asked.

"Around fifteen is my guess. Why?" Zuko sighed.

"It was more than likely my sister, Azula," he explained. "She was the one who told me I was a wanted man."

"The two girls she was traveling with _did _call her that," I agreed. "You two don't get along, do you?"

"No, and I really didn't get along with her friends, Ty Lee and Mai," Zuko said. "I avoided them whenever possible back at the palace."

"I can imagine. They're brutal fighters," I muttered. I went into an explanation about how Azula had found out Aang was the Avatar. "So, in short, I really don't like your sister."

"Anyone who does is about as evil as she is, Katara, so it's a good thing you don't like her," Zuko said. He paused, staring into the flames. Suddenly, he looked up.

"We should get some sleep," he said. I nodded and looked around for a comfortable spot. There was on near some trees.

"Are we going to post a watch?" I asked.

"What for? As far as anyone who may be looking for us is concerned," Zuko said, "we're currently enslaved."

"Good point. G'night." I lay down in my chosen spot and, what with the excitement of the day, fell asleep in ten minutes.

* * *

I woke up the next morning warm. "I forgot it's spring," I muttered, getting up. "That cell was so cold." I looked over at Zuko, who lay not far from me. In sleep, he seemed to be at peace, not struggling with something, be it his sister or what have you. Silently, I rekindled the fire from the previous night and set about making something hot to have for breakfast. (I had grabbed about half a bag worth of jerked meat, so that was a main staple.)

Zuko woke up about thirty minutes later. "I'm so used to that bell it's become habit to wake up half an hour before dawn," I muttered.

"I always get up at dawn; but I agree," Zuko said. I smiled and handed him some breakfast.

"You mentioned something like that back at the pole, after you beat me that first time. And I assure you, if it wasn't for the sun coming up, you'd have a serious case of frostbite," I told him.

"Would not."

"Look at how fast I beat you the second time. You didn't even land a blow!"

"You were in the presence of someone with part of the moon spirit; I'd have beat you otherwise," Zuko said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, right. I was well rested and the moon was up. You had been dragging a hundred and twelve-year-old boy through a blizzard," I pointed out.

"How is he one and twelve-years-old? He looks twelve. My uncle and I were arguing over that when I had almost caught him at the South Pole," Zuko said.

"He was trapped in an iceberg for one hundred years," I said. "It kept him twelve and that's why no one could find him for over a hundred years."

Zuko looked surprised. "I've never heard of that happening before. Most people die when incased in ice."

"Well, Aang's not exactly most people, is he?" I asked. "It was probably his Avatar Spirit that kept him alive, according to my grandmother."

We were silent while we ate our breakfast. "What do you suppose we do now?" I asked.

"Head southeast. Chances are your brother and the Avatar are still in that direction," Zuko said. I nodded and began to pack up. Once everything was ready, I handed Zuko two of the packs and we set out.

We had only been going for about five hours when rain started to come down, first softly, then harder and harder. "I vote we find a cave or something! The food'll get ruined!" I called over the rain.

"Good idea." Zuko veered off to a rocky area; we had spotted a cave not too far away.

I set my packs down. "This is tiny," I said bluntly.

"Oh, and you can do better?" Zuko asked.

"No, I'm just saying there is hardly enough room for us, a small fire, and our packs," I replied. Zuko glared at me. "What?" He just glared; I sighed. "Would you mind starting a fire? This place is damp; not even my Waterbending can take it all out."

"With what? There's no kindling." I groaned inwardly; I'd forgotten. And there was no way he could go out and get some, what with the rain.

"Is there anything that would work as kindling?" I asked.

"Paper, but we don't have that." I paused.

"Yes, we do. Some of the food I grabbed is wrapped in paper; will that work?"

"It should." Zuko dug through the bags and got out some of the wrapping papers. Setting them in the center of the cave, he sent a small blast at them, igniting them and sending up a medium sized flame.

"Thank you," I said. "Are you hungry?" Zuko nodded and I got out some fruit. As we ate, I noticed Zuko seemed withdrawn, or more so than usual.

"Is something wrong, Zuko?" I asked softly once I ate my peach. Zuko looked up at me.

"What? Oh, nothing that concerns you," he spat. I sighed. He was in a bad mood for some reason.

"Zuko, I spent two weeks in a tiny cell with you, survived a monster storm with you, and escaped with you. I think if something's the matter, it concerns me," I pointed out. Zuko looked at me, then turned away.

"The last time I was in a cave, my uncle and I parted ways," he muttered.

"Oh. And?" I prompted. He wasn't regretting leaving his uncle, was he?

Zuko tensed. He didn't want to tell me. I sighed inwardly. (Men. No matter what their age, they are stubborn.) I sat patiently, listening to the rain fall outside.

Finally, he spoke. "I was…regretting my decision to leave him. He was the only one who volunteered to go with me after…I left the Fire Palace," he said. I had a feeling he was hiding something, but I didn't press him. "When I remember the hurt look on his face as I left a few weeks ago, I wonder if I made the right decision."

He _was_ regretting his choice. _Will wonders never cease? _I thought. I was learning with each passing week that the Fire Prince had more emotions that hatred, anger, and scorn. I mentally tallied all I had seen. Worry, pain, crestfallen, and now regret. What was next? Passion? All these emotions made the prince seem, well, a lot more human.

"Zuko, I'm sure your uncle knew that it was going to happen sooner or later," I said. Zuko just looked towards the cave wall. I reached out and touched his shoulder. "You didn't offend him, trust me."

Zuko looked at me. His amber eyes seemed to reach my innermost being. The fire's light reflected in his eyes, making them dance and intensifying their glow. "I hope you're right, Katara," he murmured.

Suddenly, a roll of thunder shook the world. I looked out the mouth of the cave and sighed. "We might be here a while," I said, depressed. "How long have we been in this cave?"

"It started raining shortly after noon, so about two and a half hours," Zuko said.

"It feels like a lot more," I complained. "For some reason I am exhausted."

"We walked at a incredibly fast pace today for five hours, and sometimes rain makes people drowsy, like my uncle," Zuko said. "Of course, a lot of things make my uncle drowsy."

I smiled. "Like what?"

"Tea, pai sho, long journeys, and sea voyages, food, basically everything," Zuko said. I laughed.

We spent the better part of the day talking and trying to stay warm. (It was incredibly drafty in that cave.) Finally, nighttime rolled around and I began to yawn.

"Pardon me," I said. I looked at Zuko. "You look about as tired as I feel, Zuko."

"That's because I am." He lit his palm and doused the fire. I looked around.

"Um, in order for us both to sleep comfortably," I said, "we'll have to be _really _close, you realize."

Zuko looked around the cave. "You're right." We looked at each other. Silently, I laid down, my feet towards the exit. Zuko lay beside me. We were so close, I could feel the warmth from his body on my back.

The sound of the rain beating down, combined with the sound of Zuko's breathing and his body heat, caused me to fall asleep in a ten minutes.

* * *

Sorry for the lack of updating; I had a band field trip yesterday and didn't get home til midnight. But, school's out this week, so there should be a lot more updates. 


	12. Chapter 12

A fire crackles nearby. Its light catches the silken curtains surrounding me. I am once again lying on a bed of silk. The smell of autumn roses permeates the room, the scent intoxicating.

The silhouette of a well-built man falls on the curtains. He pulls them apart, lying next to me on the bed. He pulls me close to him, burying my face in his silken shirt.

I wrap my arms around him, letting his body heat warm my cool body. He takes his hand and teases my hair out of a complicated coiffure. He slides his hands over my shoulders and brings my face up to his.

We meet in a passionate kiss. I moan as he strokes my hair gently. Slowly, he pulls away, whispering my name.

I woke up with a jolt. That was the second time I had had that type of dream, with the mysterious lover and silken sheets. I knew it was just a dream, but it felt so real, like it really could happen.

Zuko was still asleep next to me. Looking out the cave, I could see that it was still late and raining. Rolling over to face Zuko, I got comfortable and fell back asleep.

* * *

"Katara, wake up."

Zuko's voice was soft in my ear. "Mmph," I muttered. I felt Zuko lay his hand on my shoulder.

"Wake up. It's morning."

"Obviously. Can't you let me sleep?" I asked.

"If you want to find your brother and the Avatar, no," Zuko said. I grunted, then sat up.

"Fine." I looked out. It was still raining bearded cats and whiskered dogs out there. "We can't go anywhere! You woke me up for no reason," I complained.

"It's morning; that should be enough reason," Zuko replied.

"Fine, fine. D'you want breakfast?"

"I've already eaten, but thanks anyway," Zuko replied. I shrugged and dug out my own breakfast.

"How long after sunrise is it?"

"What sunrise? It's storming out there."

"You know what I mean."

"Two hours," Zuko informed me. I nodded and continued eating.

"Zuko," I said suddenly, "do you believe in prophetic dreams?"

Zuko shook his head. "My uncle and my mother did, but I don't."

"You're not the most spiritually involved Bender, are you?" I asked. "A lot of the Benders I met are somewhat superstitious."

"My father doesn't hold with superstitions; he reprimanded me when I refused to walk under the ladders during the renovation. I was always late to my classes because I took the long way around the palace," Zuko said.

"What classes?"

"History, calligraphy, war strategies, Firebending, and broadswords," he replied.

"You learned a lot about fighting," I mused.

"My father's orders. He wouldn't hold with the arts, the things the Fire Nation was once known for." Zuko seemed ashamed that his Nation was now only known for destruction and war. "My sister was jealous of my lessons at first; our mother made her learn more…feminine things. Once she died and my father ascended the throne, Azula was allowed to learn more of war and less of dancing."

"Dancing?" I laughed. I couldn't picture that powerful girl dancing. Zuko glared at me.

"We both had to learn that. It was one good thing that came out of my father's rule," Zuko muttered. I was trying my hardest not to crack up. Zuko? Dancing?

Zuko noticed my face. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, but you, dancing?" I began to laugh.

"I'll have you know I was one of the best students Madame Hinson had, Katara."

"Prove it."

"Fine. But you'll have to be my partner." Zuko looked at me. I'd forgotten that minor detail.

"I…I don't know how to dance," I stammered. It was a little lie, but not much of one. I knew how to waltz, and that was about it

"It's fine. I'll lead, you follow." Zuko stood and extended a hand to help me stand. Sighing, I took it. Zuko held on to my hand, resting his other on my waist. He paused for three seconds, then started.

Though the cave was tiny, Zuko was able to lead me in a waltz without bumping into the walls.He really _was _a good dancer.

In my mind, I was taken to place with silk banners and music. I was in a dress of midnight blue silk, and my dance partner was in a deep crimson silk outfit. We danced the same waltz that Zuko was now leading me in, only we danced closer.

Zuko stopped. "Still think it's funny?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I admit it; you can dance. But I still think it's funny that you had to learn it," I teased. Zuko glared at me and started towards me. I waited until he was a foot away, then dodged.

This went on for a few minutes, with me taunting him all the while. Eventually, I tripped on a rock and fell back, Zuko landing on top of me soon after.

"Ow," I said. "You're heavy," I complained, looking at Zuko.

"You fell," he replied.

"You fell on me!" We tried to rise at the same time, causing us to be tangled up. "Okay, you get up first, then help me up." Zuko nodded, then worked to get untangled. Once that was accomplished, he gave me his hand and helped me to stand as well.

"Thanks," I muttered, brushing myself off.

"You're welcome." Just then, the fire went out with a sizzle. "The papers have gotten wet," Zuko said upon examining them. "I'll be right back."

"No, wait. I can bend an umbrella over me; I'll stay drier longer. I'll go get some wood or something," I said. Zuko looked doubtful, but consented.

There was a small grove not far from where the cave was, so I headed there for wood. I found wood aplenty, but there was hardly any dry wood.

"Great, just great. I hope Zuko can light damp wood," I muttered. I dashed around, gathering the wood before I got soaked (you can't bend an umbrella with no hands). After I had completed that, I bent the smallest possible umbrella and ran back to the cave.

Before I had quite reached the entrance, however, I heard Zuko muttering something under his breath. I paused to listen.

"Is there really a point of me traveling with the Waterbender?" he asking himself. "It's not like capturing the Avatar will do me much good. And if Azula got us…" He stopped, then continued. "If there's no point, then why am I staying? She can certainly take care of herself." I blushed. Zuko was complimenting me, even I was the only one who could hear it.

I waited a few minutes, but he said nothing more. Shrugging, I gathered the wood to me and entered the cave.

"Hope you can light wet wood," I said. Zuko looked at me.

"It's not going to last long. Can't you get the water out?"

"I'll try. Hold on." I set the wood down, focused, and tried to bend the water out of the wood. Surprisingly, I was able to get a good deal out. "Is that better?"

Zuko felt it and nodded. Standing back, he closed his eyes and exhaled a small stream of fire. A flame engulfed some of the wood. I hurriedly moved the rest out of the way.

"Thanks." I paused. Did I admit that I was eavesdropping? What did Gran-Gran always tell me? _Tell the truth. _I took that to be a "yes", so I took a deep breath. "I heard you talking to yourself, by the way." Zuko glared at me. Uh-oh. I figured he hadn't wanted anyone hearing him compliment me, even me. "I didn't mean to! You speak really loudly. I'm sorry for overhearing," I apologized. Zuko looked at me.

"How much did you hear?"

"Just you asking yourself why you were still traveling with me and saying I can certainly take care of myself," I said hurriedly. That seemed to satisfy Zuko, so I knew that more had been said while I was out of earshot. Nothing more was said for a while.


	13. Chapter 13

Lots of people have been asking what Zuko said before Katara eavesdropped. I'm not gonna tell ya!

Disclaimer (just in case I forgot): I get no money from this. Wish I did, but I don't.

* * *

"Who were the two girls with your sister?"

The question came out before I could stop it. It had been bugging me for several days and I figured Zuko would know. He had, after all, live with Azula and would know her friends.

"How am I supposed to know?" he snapped. Great. He was cranky, again. I bit my lip and continued.

"Well, you know who she was friends with, so who would she travel with?" I asked.

"Was one of the girls bubbly and acrobatic?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah; she also knew how to stop my Waterbending for a few minutes. It was annoying," I said.

"Ty Lee and probably Mai. Was one gloomier that most and armed with knives?"

"Yes."

"Mai. She had a crush on me when we were children." Zuko shuddered, causing me to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I find it funny that someone had a crush on you and it happened to be your sister's friend," I teased. "None of my friends had crushes on my brother."

"Your brother is an idiot," Zuko pointed out. I paused.

"Good point," I admitted. "I still think it's funny." Zuko huffed and looked at the fire. In a matter of seconds, he had extinguished it. "Hey!" It was now dark and wet. (The rain hadn't let up yet.) In the dim light, I could see Zuko smirking.

"Still find it funny?" I sighed. Boys.

"Fine! I'm sorry! Now will you please light another fire? It's nearly night time." My question was the only thing other than common courtesy statements said in several hours.

Zuko complied with my request; a fire was burning shortly afterwards. "Thank you." Suddenly, I yawned. "Oh, excuse me. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." I lay down in the position I had slept in the previous night. Finding sleep elusive, whenever Zuko moved, I feigned sleep.

As I lay there, my thoughts turned to the time Zuko and I had spent captive in the stronghold. I remembered him worrying over my safety when the guards were after me. I remembered that night before the storm, when he opened up to me and revealed he'd lost three people in his family. He'd seemed human then, and I realized something. I really didn't hate Prince Zuko anymore. I didn't know what I thought of him, just that, whatever it was, it wasn't hate.

As I was coming to realization, the fire extinguished and I heard Zuko lay next to me. I could hear his breathing and feel his breath on my neck. Tingles of sparks ran up my spine and I shuddered involuntarily.

A warm hand rested on my shoulder; Zuko must have thought I was cold, because he sent a wave of warmth just by touching me. His touch soon had me sleeping.

* * *

I woke up to thrashing. Sitting up, I could see Zuko's face, a mask of terror. He was having a nightmare.

"Zuko, wake up!" I whispered, shaking him. The Fire Prince didn't respond. I shook him and called his name a few more times, then took drastic measures. I slapped the prince.

It woke him up, though he ended up slamming me against the wall. "Wha-what was that for?" he demanded. I held my hands up submissively and walked forward.

"You were having a nightmare and I had to wake you up. Sorry for slapping you," I said. Zuko nodded and put a hand to his head. I could see in the dark that he was sweating. Reaching for my flask, I uncorked it. "Here."

Zuko took the proffered flask, drinking about half of it; the other half went over his head. "Thank you. Can you help me up?" I nodded and stood, giving Zuko my hand. He took it and stood.

"Has the rain stopped?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I haven't looked. I was a little occupied with waking you up," I reminded him. I turned to the cave mouth; no raindrops could be seen. "Looks like it has stopped."

Zuko nodded. "Good. As soon morning comes, we need to go. Chances are any tracks we may have left were obliterated in the rain, which is a good thing and a bad thing. If my sister was trying to track us, then she's lost. But if the Avatar was trying to-"

"Then Aang and my brother are lost as well," I said. "Though Sokka is lost most of the time," I added as an afterthought. A flicker played around Zuko's lips; had he almost smiled?

It was then we both realized that we were still holding hands. I waited for him to withdraw his hand (he was probably waiting for me). When neither of us withdrew, we looked up at the other and our eyes met.

The last time I had met Zuko's eyes, I had had trouble keeping his gaze. It was no easier this time, but I was drawn to his amber eyes, lost his fiery gaze. His other hand reached up and brushed away a loose strand of hair from my face. Suddenly, he frowned.

"Your arm," he said, pointing. I looked down to see my arm was bleeding, just below my sleeve.

"It must have happened when I fell against the wall trying to wake you," I said. I reached for my flask, only to remember that Zuko had used the last of the water.

"Here." Zuko tore off a bit of the outfit I had worn in the stronghold, enough to make a decent bandage. He took my arm and gently tied the cloth around the cut to stop the bleeding. "That should work until you can refill your flask."

"Thanks." I smiled softly at him. We were still holding hands; I let go to grasp my cut. It had suddenly started to throb. "Ah!"

"On second thought," Zuko said, getting my flask, "you might want to heal that now. I'll be right back. Don't move!" My eyes followed him as he left to go get more water for me.

_That was nice,_ I thought.

_He'll probably ditch me, though. It would be just like Zuko to do that._

_How do I know for sure, though? He's done a lot of un-Zuko-like things in the two weeks I've been stuck together with him._

_But he's still Zuko._

_Maybe the evil Zuko who chased me isn't the real Zuko. Maybe I'm starting to see the real Zuko._

I never finished contemplating why Zuko was doing the things he did because he returned with my flask, filled to the brim. "Here," He said, handing me the flask. I took it and tried to untie the bandage on my arm. Of course, the thing about arm wounds is that, unless the wound is on your shoulder, the hand of the wounded arm can't reach it. So, naturally, I needed some help.

Zuko untied the bandage and stood back as I used the water to first flush my cut to get any bits of rock out and then to heal it. "Thanks for getting the water," I said once my cut was healed.

"I think we should get going. It's daylight out there, and I think there's a village just up the stream where I got your water," Zuko said. I nodded and began to load up the food.

"What about the wood?"

"Leave it. Should the Avatar see it, he'll know someone's been here," Zuko said.

"What if Azula finds it?" I asked. Zuko paused.

"Let's hope she doesn't."

* * *

This mighn't be one of my best chapters, sorry. 


	14. Chapter 14

Zuko found the place he had filled my flask at easily and we headed upstream. He took the lead and didn't talk much. Finally, about an hour after we had left the cave, I couldn't bear it anymore. "Are you okay?"

"What?"

"You seemed, well, depressed, more so than usual, and I was wondering if everything is okay," I explained. Zuko froze.

"Is that in your nature?"

"Is what in my nature?"

"Worrying about everyone but yourself," Zuko explained. "You seem to do it a lot."

I thought back to my life at the South Pole. Before Mom had died, I played around like every ten-twelve year old kid. But once she died, however, I remembered taking care of Dad, Sokka, and Gran-Gran when they were sick, even though I was the sickest. I remembered ignoring the flirting attempts of the boys because I was too busy with chores, babysitting when I should have been resting.

"When my mom died, I sort of took on her role," I whispered. "I guess it became nature after awhile, to care for others above myself." Zuko looked at me with a funny expression on his face. Did he pity me or did he realize how hard his people were making life for the other nations?

"I'm…I'm sorry, Katara." Whoa.

"It's not your fault. It's not like you asked your manic father to attack the South Pole and specifically kill my mom," I said. I looked at him sideways. "You didn't, did you?"

Zuko shook his head. We looked at each other for a minute, then started walking again.

We continued walking for a few hours, then stopped for lunch. I dug out jerked meat. "We should eat sparingly," I said. "Who knows how long we'll be out here?" Zuko nodded and bit into the meat.

"How did you find the Avatar?" he asked suddenly. I looked at him.

"You'll never believe me," I warned.

"You've already told me that he was in an iceberg; it can't get much more unbelievable that that," Zuko pointed out. He had a good point.

Therefore, I told him how Sokka had been a jerk and how I had lost my temper, causing the iceberg on top of Aang's to bust. Zuko listened intently when I explained what had happened when he spotted us coming from the trapped Fire Navy ship.

"I could have told you there were booby traps," he said with that "I'm-better-than-you" tone he had used so many times before.

"Well, even if we had known you," I pointed out, "do you think we would have listened to you? We'd have attacked and ran."

"Good point," he admitted. He looked at the stream. "We should get going." I nodded and loaded the bags up again. Zuko took the heavier of the bags and started out with me following.

It seemed when traveling, Zuko reverted to the close-mouthed, determined Fire Prince that had chased us for almost half a year. I tried to talk, but Zuko only answered in monosyllables or didn't answer at all; I finally fell silent.

We had been walking for about an hour when I tripped on a root and fell. "Ow," I muttered, rubbing my ankle. Zuko stopped and turned to me.

"What happened?"

"I tripped over a stupid root," I said through clenched teeth. The prince knelt down beside me.

"Are you okay?"

"I will be as soon as I heal my ankle in the stream," I informed him. I looked towards the stream. It wasn't far, but it was blocked by rocks and roots.

Zuko saw my predicament; I couldn't limp or crawl to the stream. He lifted me up and helped me over to the stream bank. I carefully removed my boot, rolled my pant leg up a bit, and stuck my ankle in the cool, clean water. Sighing, I placed my hand over my ankle and willed it to heal. I was rewarded with the water glowing an ethereal blue and the pain in my ankle receding.

"We'll camp here," Zuko decided. I nodded and removed my other boot, rolling that pant leg up as well so I could soak both my feet in the water. After keeping pace with Zuko, I needed a good long rest.

Zuko went out into the surrounding woods to get firewood while I sat on the bank. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him sifting through the bag he always took until he found something, something I didn't see except for a shot of blue before he hid it and left.

I started humming an old Water Tribe song that my mother had sang whenever she was working. I couldn't remember the words, so I just kept humming. Unfortunately, I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't hear the footsteps until they were almost right behind me. When I did hear them, I froze.

It sounded like someone going through our packs, but I couldn't be sure. Slowly, I stood up on the bank, careful to keep my back turned. I got the water into a whip; with a shout, I water whipped the looter as I turned. When I saw whom I had whacked, I felt instant remorse.

It was Zuko, who had come back unexpectedly, and was currently lying face down in the dirt. "I am soo sorry," I cried. "You snuck up on me!"

Zuko sat up, rubbing his head. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"I thought you were a looter!"

"If I did steal something, why would it be from my own supplies?" he asked.

"I didn't know it was you! By the way, did you get firewood?" Zuko pointed to a pile near some rocks. "Thanks. And what's this?" I reached down to get the blue thing he had taken with him; it was in the dirt.

Zuko's eyes opened wide when he saw me reach for whatever it was. "No, don't-!"

But I had already picked it up and dusted it off. It was a blue mask with fangs. "This looks familiar," I muttered. I thought back to when we had found the defector Firebender and had seen Aang's wanted poster. There was one next to it, one with this mask on it. What had it read? "Wanted: Blue Spirit. Freed the Avatar. Wears blue mask. Is extremely skilled in the dual broadswords", or something like that.

"You helped Aang?" I asked Zuko. He snatched the mask back and glared at me. "When did this happen?"

"You mean he didn't tell you?" I shook my head. "He was caught coming from a crazy herbalist by Yu Yan archers." I shuddered; everyone knew about them. Zuko continued. "Zhao had him captive in his headquarters, and I heard about it." He sighed. "I told myself that I had rescued the Avatar from Zhao for my own quest, telling myself that I had a greater reason for chasing him. Then I was knocked unconscious by an arrow and your friend the Avatar saved me, so, when I woke up, I let him go."

"What reason, other than helping your Nation, did you have?" I asked. "You're not telling me that you opposed your father's methods?" Zuko glared at me.

"As a matter of fact, I do." I had to stifle laughter.

"If you did, why didn't you speak out against him?"

Wrong thing to say. Zuko's hand flew to his scar, then he glared at me. Before I knew what had happened, he had hit me.

I lay on the ground, slightly dazed. I bent water to me and pressed it on my head. "What the heck was that for?" I asked, sitting up slowly. Zuko was standing and facing the stream.

"How could you possibly know whether or not I've spoken out against my father?" Zuko asked in a whisper. "The reason I was hunting the Avatar was because I disobeyed him and spoke against a cruel battle tactic. It's the reason I have this scar on my face, to remind me of my stupidity." Without turning to face me, Zuko explained how, three years ago, he had spoken against this general's idea to sacrifice an entire division for the sake of a single battle. I could perfectly picture the younger Zuko refusing to fight his father in a Fire Duel, an Agni Kai.

"And then, Azula comes along and tells me how our father wanted me home," he finished. "He wanted me back, but in chains, as his prisoner, not his heir. My uncle and I fought her off and ran. As soon we could stop, we cut off all ties to the Fire Nation."

His topknot. I had noticed it was gone, but I had never questioned why. Now I knew. I also knew why he never wore the red his Nation loved, but in the green of refugees. I stood and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry for saying what I said. I…I didn't know," I whispered.

"Yeah, well, now you do," Zuko spat. He stalked off.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Blinking them away, I set about getting camp ready. It was early yet, but I needed something to do. I cleared way rocks and bramble, set a pile of wood aside for burning, and looked for spots to sleep. Then I sat down and thought about the story Zuko had related to me. Everything, about him, his anger, the way he did things, the way he spoke, wasn't the true Zuko. The real Zuko was hidden under layers of pain and torture.

Tears ran unchecked on my face. I was crying for Zuko, and for everything that had happened in the last hundred years. The war, all the orphans, the widows, everything.

I heard footsteps behind me and knew it was Zuko. "Zuko, I'm sorry for what I said; if I had had any idea, I never would said it," I said. The footsteps stopped. "I had always you were just relentless as your father, but now I know better. You're not like him in the slightest. I don't think you'd continue the war if you were on the throne." The tears were coming faster now, and in more volume.

I felt Zuko's hand on my shoulder; I turned to face him. He knelt to my level and put his hand on my cheek to wipe away some of the tears. "It's okay, Katara," he whispered, wrapping his arms around me. I felt him pull me closer and stroke my hair in a comforting manner. I never wanted to leave his safe embrace.

* * *

More fluff! 


	15. Chapter 15

I woke up still in Zuko's arms. I dimly remembered falling asleep like that. Zuko must have gotten slightly more comfortable after I was out, because I was lying on the ground. Rolling over, I found myself facing the ex-Fire Prince, who was also awake.

"You fell asleep," he whispered. He brushed some hair out of my eyes gently.

"Obviously," I laughed quietly. It was still dark, except for the firelight. "Why didn't you wake me?" Zuko shrugged. I smiled, then frowned. "I'm really sorry for what I said."

"It's fine, Katara. You didn't know, so I can't really blame you," Zuko replied. "I'm sorry for hitting you; I can't keep my temper."

"Tell me about it," I joked. "I've seen you get mad." Zuko's face seemed to darken; I sighed. "I'm just kidding. You're not that bad." Suddenly, I shivered, I guess because the wind blew. Zuko must have felt it, too, because he shivered and brought me closer.

I felt a small fluttering in my stomach as I felt his arms tighten around me. Blinking away sleep, I rested my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat pound in my ears. Zuko was stroking my hair, whispering something I couldn't quite catch. I soon fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up again, Zuko was gone. My boots were beside the now extinct fire and there was note from Zuko, written on some wrapping paper from the meat.

"Further up stream, be back soon. Zuko," it read.

"He must be bathing. That doesn't sound half bad, actually. I probably stink," I muttered. I pulled off my long dress, leaving me in my blue chemise and pants. Slowly, I walked towards the stream and plunged in, the chilly waters making me shiver.

As I floated there, cleaning the dirt from my body, I remembered the intimacy of the previous night. I had never been so close to anyone not related to me before, and the thought of being that close to Fire Prince Zuko made me shudder. It wasn't an unpleasant shudder; it was more anticipation for something than anything else.

I cleaned the filth and got out of the stream, bending the water from my hair. I dried off for a few minutes, then began to wonder about Zuko. It must have been hours since he had left, but I wasn't sure, not knowing when he woke up. I decided to go find him.

Heading up stream, I listened for telltale sounds that would lead me to the prince. Finally, I heard a familiar muttering voice. Smiling, I slowed my footsteps and attempted to sneak up on Zuko.

"I know you're there, Katara," he called. _Drat! _"You walk like a drunken solider," loud and clumsy." I followed his voice and found him. He was looking at me, arms crossed, smirking. I stuck my tongue out at him. Childish, yes, but fun.

"At least I don't abandon people," I quipped. Zuko looked a little hurt, but bounced right back.

"Did you want a traveling partner who smelled like his uncle's sandals?" Zuko asked. We looked at each other, then I started cracking up.

"Did you really smell that bad?" I asked. Zuko nodded. I smirked. "In that case…" I bent some water from the stream over Zuko's head, drenching the once-dry Firebender.

"What was that for?" he spluttered. I smiled.

"That was for the smell," I laughed. Zuko glared at me, then carelessly sent a small spark behind me.

"Missed me." Zuko smirked.

"No, I didn't." He pointed behind me. The tip of my braid was on fire.

"AH! Put it out put it out put it out!" I cried, trying to beat the flames, Zuko laughing in the background. "Oh shut it." I finally managed to get my braid put out.

During all this, Zuko had focused his body heat to evaporated the water from his clothes, and had succeeded, except for his tunic. For some reason it wasn't drying. Zuko looked me and motioned for me to turn. Blushing as I realized what he was going to do, I obliged to his request. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as he removed his tunic and attempted to evaporate the water, but to no avail.

"Here. I can try to Waterbend the water out," I said.

"It's odd; usually I can get the water out easily," Zuko muttered, handing me his shirt. I set it down perfectly straight and tried to bender the water out; I couldn't do it.

"What is it, a sponge?" I asked. Zuko shrugged. "Letting it dry by the fire is the only other option."

Zuko nodded and took his shirt back. We headed back to the campsite together, with me being careful not to stare at Zuko's bare chest. Zuko realized my discomfort and put his wet shirt back on. I shot him a look that said "thank you". He merely nodded.

We reached the campsite and Zuko rekindled the fire. He stripped off his wet shirt and hung on two sticks near the fire. I keep my eyes on the stream the entire time.

About half an hour later, I felt Zuko's hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw he had his tunic on, now perfectly dry. "Are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Until we can scout ahead and figure out where we are, then I think we should stay here," Zuko said. I nodded, quiet. Zuko looked at me; he took my hand and stood me up. "Is everything all right?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yeah," I replied. "I just miss Sokka and Aang. I even miss Appa's itchy winter fur." It was a lie. I did miss them, but something else was bugging me, something I couldn't explain.

Zuko saw through my lie. "What else?" I shook my head.

"I'm entirely sure. I feel like something is missing is all," I explained. Zuko looked at me and brushed loose strands of hair out of my eyes. (Hair blowing my eyes was becoming more and more common.) This time he didn't remove his hand.

"Like what?"

"I wish I knew," I murmured. I reached up to take Zuko's hand, which was resting on my jawbone. Secretly, I knew what, though. Since I had woken up in Zuko's arm, I had felt a longing to be near him.

I'm not sure if Zuko could tell, or if he felt the same way, but he pulled me into his embrace. I went willingly, breathing in the smell of smoke that was always around Zuko and wrapping my arms around him. He rested his hands on my waist.

"Katara, I…" Zuko started, then trailed off. I pulled away slightly to look at him.

"What?"

He didn't respond, just brought me closer. Slowly, he ran one hand from my waist, up my arm, stopping under my chin. He lifted my face, forcing my eyes to meet his. Again, I found I had trouble keeping his gaze, even though his gaze was now filled with…gentleness? Passion?

We moved our faces closer, but not too close. I could feel his warm breath caressing my face as he whispered something.

"What?" I asked, bringing my hand up to his cheek. He leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

"Remember, back at the fortress, you said you owed me?"

"Yeah."

He pulled back slightly, looking me in the eyes. Our faces were extremely close; I felt something flare up inside of me that almost consumed me.

That something was extinguished as Zuko closed what little distance there was between us. His lips were pressed softly against mine. I kissed him back, feeling him bring me closer to him in his embrace. Dimly, I heard the rush of the stream behind us and the crackle of the fire Zuko had lit to dry his tunic out.

We broke apart; Zuko leaned over to whisper again. "We're even."

I smiled. "Okay."

* * *

There. The KISS! Did it meet your standards and such? Review! 


	16. Chapter 16

New! Doctors have discovered a marvelous cure-all, even better than Mother's Chicken Soup! Zutara fluff! It's nice, it's soft, it's fluffy! Pick up your prescription today!

* * *

Zuko left me alone at the camp so he could scout out a village as the Blue Spirit shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, I set out lunch and waited for his return. I blushed when I remembered what had taken place just hours before. Of all the things I'd learned about the prince, the fact he was a good kisser surprised me the most.

It was about thirty minutes after Zuko had left when I heard footsteps behind me. I knew it was Zuko because off his heavy footsteps. (I knew it was a Firebender from the smell of smoke, but Azula would have tried to capture me by sneaking up on me.) I was facing the stream, practicing my bending, when I felt his hands on my shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw he still had his mask on.

"Are you a bandit?" I asked. He nodded. "Do you want something from me?" Another nod. "What?"

I was spun around to face him. Slowly, I removed his mask and set it aside. Zuko looked at me, his eyes filled with passion. "I think you know," he whispered. He leaned forward and kissed me. He wrapped his arms around me, pressing me against his body. I threw my arms around him, tightening the embrace. Zuko teased my hair out, messing it up, as we remained locked together in the embrace.

We pulled apart after a few minutes. "There's a village about ten miles upstream; I saw the signposts," Zuko said, caressing my cheek. "We should head for it." I nodded and slipped from his embrace to pack up. Zuko doused the fire and hid his mask. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I replied. Zuko looked at me, then led the way.

"There's an inn in the village, should we need to stay there," he said over his shoulder.

"That's great, but how would we pay for one room, let alone two?" I asked. Zuko stopped and pulled a purse of money from his pocket. "Did you…?"

"Steal it? No." Zuko pocketed the money. "I found it on the side of the road, if you must know. There's not much in it, but it'll work should we need it." I merely nodded.

We reached the village as it was getting dark. Zuko located the inn. "I'll do the talking, Katara, got it?" I merely nodded and followed him in.

The inn was small, dark, and dingy, but it seemed otherwise respectable. Zuko walked right over to the innkeeper, motioning for me to stay. I didn't hear what Zuko told the innkeeper, but it got him to show us to a room.

"You're in luck; this is my last vacancy," he said, showing us to the room. Zuko nodded his thanks and the man left.

There was only one bed in the room, but it was double bed. I set my pack down on it. "A double bed?" I asked, looking at Zuko. He shifted uncomfortably and blushed slightly.

"It was his only vacancy, and he wasn't going to give it to two teens," he explained. "As far as he's concerned, we ran to get married at the nearest temple." I looked at him, then cracked up.

"Nice excuse," I said.

"It was only thing I could think of on short notice," he responded. "Are you hungry?"

"No. You?"

Zuko shook his head. "Just tired." I moved my pack from the bed.

"Before you go to sleep," I said, "would you light the fire?" Zuko nodded and sent a blast of fire towards the grate. "Thanks." Zuko simply nodded and lay down on the bed. I thought about it, then joined him. "It's hard work keeping pace with you," I teased.

Zuko huffed. "You shouldn't walk so slowly."

"I was practically running!"

"Then run faster next time."

I swatted the Fire Prince and rolled over, turning my back to him. "Stubborn princes, always have to be right," I muttered.

"That's because we usually are." Zuko's voice was soft in my ear.

"Oh really? Name one time you've been right that I know about out." Zuko rolled me over to face him.

"I know what you'd like," he murmured. I looked at him.

"Really? Then what is it?"

"This." He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the cheek. I blushed and caressed his cheek. He took my hand and pulled me into his embrace. I buried my face in his tunic, relishing in his touch.

"Zuko," I whispered. He rested his hands on my neck; I could feel his pulse from his wrists pounding on the back of my neck. As I fell asleep, I felt him stroking my hair, which remained down.

* * *

"Katara, wake up."

Zuko's mouth was just above my ear, whispering me awake. I looked out the window; it was still dark.

"It's still dark."

"Azula's here." That jump-started my body.

"What?" Zuko was moving around, gathering our things.

"She doesn't know we're here, but she will soon. Come on." He tossed me a pack and headed over to the window. "We'll have to jump."

"What? Why not leave out the door?"

"Because that's where Azula is," Zuko informed me. He took out three silver pieces and left them for the innkeeper to find. "Come on; I'll go first." He looked down, then jumped. I looked out the window; Zuko was waiting for me.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered and jumped.

I landed safely in Zuko's arms. He set me down and we ran into the surrounding woods.

We ran for about an hour, stopping only to catch our breath. "Next town," I panted, "we're stopping!" Zuko merely nodded and kept running.

Finally, not long after dawn, we stopped by the same stream we had been following before. "Can we rest now?" I asked.

"Yes. We should be safe for now," Zuko decided. I nodded, shed my pack and dress, and plunged into the stream, splashing Zuko. "Hey!"

I smirked. "Afraid of a little water, Prince Zuko?" I teased. Zuko snorted.

"No; I just like to be aware of the fact I'm about to get wet," he retorted. I smirked even wider and splashed him again. Zuko growled, then leaned down to splash me back.

It turned into an all-out splash fight, with me as the victor. Zuko landed in the water in defeat. "Not fair," he spluttered. "You're a Waterbender."

"Yeah, so? You're the one who started the fight," I pointed out. Zuko glared at me; I just laughed. Then I noticed he had a bruise on his shoulder. "Hold still." I swam over and healed the wound. Zuko looked at me.

"Thanks." He studied me, then got out of the water. I pulled myself out after him.

"Should we dry as we walk, or do we wait until we dry to go?" I asked.

"Wait. Who knows how far the next village is, or when there'll be some covered camp area again?" Zuko asked. I nodded and lay by the bank under a willow.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, I was almost perfectly dry. "How long was I asleep?"

Zuko looked up from digging through the packs. "About two hours. It started raining will you napped."

I could hear the raindrops fall on the stream now that I listened. "I assume we're staying here until it clears, huh?" I asked dryly. Zuko merely nodded. I stood and groaned as I tried to get the kinks out of my back. "Ow."

I moved to the fire Zuko had started, still trying to get my back loose. Suddenly, two hands rested on my shoulders and started kneading the kinks out. I sat perfectly still, moving only when he hit a sensitive spot. Zuko heated his hands to just the right temperature to speed the process. When he finished, he wrapped his arms around me.

"Better?" he asked in a whisper. I nodded.

"Much, thank you." Zuko pulled me tighter against his chest.

"Repayment for earlier," he murmured.

"What? When I healed you? Zuko, you didn't have to repay me," I replied. I felt a shiver of electricity run through me as he brushed his cheek against mine.

"You always care for others before yourself; it's the least I could do," Zuko whispered. I decided not to argue and just rest in his arms.

* * *

I already have an idea for my next fic! Of course, I will finish POF first, which probably won't be until after Friday's episode, which is good. 


	17. Chapter 17

It continued to rain the rest of the day. When I laid down to sleep, the sound of thunder had startled both Zuko and me.

"I hate thunder," I muttered. Zuko looked over at me. "I like rain, just not thunder." Zuko looked towards the stream, and shrugged.

"Good night," he said, putting out the fire. I nodded and collapsed.

I woke up the next morning incredibly close to Zuko. It was still dark, probably due to the heavy clouds. Yawning, I sat up and turned to Zuko.

"Are you awake?"

"Of course, it's dawn, isn't it?" he replied. I smiled.

"How can you tell? It's storming out," I reminded him. Zuko, who up to this point had be facing away from me, turned and glared.

"Internal clock," he quipped. "And it's slightly lighter outside." The prince sat up, brushing twigs and leaves from his short hair. I smiled and stretched.

"How much longer do you think the rain should last?" I asked.

"Not much longer, I hope. Your brother and the Avatar are getting farther away the longer we stay here," Zuko muttered. I nodded. I was really starting to miss them.

Zuko stood, then helped me to stand. I set about finding breakfast while he lit a fire. I dug into the bag and took out two peaches. "Catch." Zuko deftly caught the fruit while he focused primarily on trying to light the damp wood. I frowned. Something was bugging him, and I wanted to know what.

"Zuko?" He ignored me. "Zuko, what's wrong?" He looked at me, then looked away.

"Nothing." I sighed. Great. He was back to be the stubborn, secretive prince. I sat down next to him, brushing and braiding my hair.

"Zuko, is it Azula?" I asked softly. He shook his head. I sighed as I finished braiding. I was going to get nowhere like this. "Here's a plan. If I beat you in a sparring match, you tell me what's bugging you."

"And when I win, what do you do?" Zuko asked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"_If _you win…" I paused. What did Zuko like? _Being obeyed. _"If you win, I'll do whatever you want for the rest of the day, within reason," I added quickly. "Nothing…extreme."

Zuko looked at me, but didn't say anything. He merely stood up and took a ready position.

"No bending. You have an unfair advantage." I nodded in agreement and waited.

He landed the first blow, a quick chop to my arm. I winced, then kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over; I took the opportunity to pin his arms back and force him up right.

"I win," I said, smirking. But Zuko had a smirk of his own.

"Not yet." He lunged over and tossed me to the ground, careful to land me on a soft spot. I landed on my back; he was on me faster than I could blink. He had straddled my hips and pinned my arms down. "I win."

"Cheater!" I cried, struggling to move. Zuko just tightened his grip.

"Even if I did cheat (which I didn't), I still won. Remember our deal," he smirked. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Of course I remember." I sighed. "What do you want first?"

"What do _you _want?" he teased.

"Another fight, only with no cheating," I responded. Zuko thought about it, then nodded.

"This one won't count, you realize," he said. I nodded and waited for him to get off. He did, and, like the gentleman he was, helped me to stand as well.

As soon as I could, I knocked he legs from under him. He scrambled back up before I could declare victory and sent a kick towards me, careful not to actually hurt me.

This fight went on for about ten minutes, during which Zuko had me cornered against a tree, I had him out in the rain, and he had actually pinned me, but then I kneed him. (Not in a sensitive area, of course.)

Finally, I had him. Zuko thought he had me, and was about to charge and pin me. As he did, I neatly sidestepped him and tripped him. He landed face first; I flipped him over and straddled his chest, pinning his arms beside him.

"Ha. I won," I taunted. Zuko struggled, but I didn't move. "How does it feel, knowing a girl has just bested you? A Waterbender, at that."

"Like I'm going to be sore in the morning," he muttered. "Would you mind unpinning my wrists?" I did and put my arms on either side of Zuko's head to support me. I expected him to tell me to get off, but in fact, he seemed to be enjoying the closeness of our bodies.

It was then I realized how close we had become. Zuko's body seemed to heat up, more so than he had ever before. Unable to stop myself, I moved my hand to Zuko's face and brushed his scar lightly, leaving my hand there. Zuko grasped my hand in his, caressing my face with his other. Slowly, I leaned forward.

The gap between us closed quickly, but we stopped before we met in a kiss. Zuko teased my hair out again. (After I had just brushed it, too.) "Remember, you have to do whatever I say for the rest of the day," he murmured.

"I know," I replied. I knew what he was about to say by the look in his eyes, so I beat him to it. I kissed him gently on the lips then pulled away slightly. "Is that what you were going say, Prince Zuko?"

"Yes," he whispered. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me next to him on ground. He leaned in and kissed me harder than he had before. I moaned softly and pulled myself further into his embrace and returning the kiss.

"Katara," he murmured after breaking the kiss. "It's stopped raining."

I had noticed. "Guess we should start looking for Aang and Sokka, huh?" I groaned. Sokka would not be happy if he learned that I had kissed Zuko, not once, not twice, but five times and enjoyed it.

"If you're thinking about your brother," Zuko said, standing and helping me up, "I'm sure I can…persuade him to accept our l-our kisses." What had he been about to say?

"Okay," I said warily. "Just don't hurt him. He's my only brother, after all. And I'm not telling him unless he needs to know or finds out, got it?"

Zuko nodded. "Fine. Let's pack up."

It took us a matter of minutes to get everything together and extinguish the fire. We were down to two packs, plus Zuko's broadswords, which he kept on his back. We left the willow grove.

* * *

It was late evening when we saw the smoke and the shadowy shape of a flying bison ahead. "It's them!" I cried out. We were too far away to be heard, so they didn't even hear me.

Zuko laughed. (I was thrown slightly, but didn't say anything.) "Don't run off and leave me here, Katara," he said.

"I won't. I plan on sneaking up on the two of them and scaring them out of their wits," I replied. Zuko looked at me, then laughed again.

"Fine. I'll help you."

So together we crept our way over to the campsite of my brother and the Avatar. There were bushes big to hide both Zuko and I if we laid flat. We got behind them to listen to what Sokka and Aang were saying.

"I still think we missed Katara in that village, Sokka," Aang complained.

"Do you have a death wish, Aang? That creepy Firebender lady and her creepier companions were heading the same way. We'd be roast if we had stopped there," Sokka countered.

So they had been behind us, then passed us when we had stopped at the inn to rest. I looked at Zuko, a question in my eyes. He nodded.

"Well, where else do you think she could be?" Aang was saying.

"Try right behind you." I cracked up as Sokka and Aang got up and spun around so fast they fell down. Zuko stood and joined me in laughing.

"Katara!" Aang got up and practically flew at me. "Where were you?"

"That compound, a cave, a grove, that village that Azula visited, and a willow grove just down the stream," I said.

"Told ya we missed them, Sokka," Aang quipped. My brother, though, was deaf to Aang's comment. He was too busy glaring at Zuko.

"Sokka, Zuko saved me several times, okay? So don't either of you attack the other, or I'll freeze you both," I threatened. Both of them nodded, Zuko taking on the demeanor of the stubborn, driven prince that had chased halfway around the world. When Aang and Sokka weren't looking, I shot him a small smile.

"Here. I knew it was a good idea that we had made extra dinner," Aang said cheerfully, handing me and Zuko some sort of soup with fish in it. Zuko looked at it skeptically, but at a glance from me, he ate it.

"I guess this means he'll be traveling with us until who know when," Sokka grumbled. I sighed.

"Sokka, get over it. It won't kill you to tolerate Zuko. I did for almost three weeks," I pointed out.

"That reminds me, sis. Your birthday's past, didn't it?" I nodded. Sokka reached for his bag and dug something out of it.

It was a comb for my hair, carved from whalebone. "Got the whalebone from the North Pole and I carved it while we were looking for you," he said. I took the gift and squeezed my brother.

"Thanks, bro." Sokka squeaked as I hugged him tighter.

"Katara, you're crushing me." I blushed.

"Sorry." Aang was laughing to wake the dead.

"You looked funny, Sokka."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to sleep. G'night." He got into his sleeping bag and started snoring. I giggled. I had missed his snores.

Aang smiled. "I'm going to bed too." He got out the groundsheets he usually used for a bed and laid down, sleeping in a matter of minutes.

"Where do I sleep?" Zuko asked, his mouth close to my ear. I shuddered slightly.

"I'm sure there's room on Appa's for two. That's probably where my sleeping bag is, and I'm too tired to move it." Zuko nodded and extinguished the fire. I led him over to Appa, who was dead to the world. I carefully clambered up his side and helped Zuko up as well.

Sure enough, my sleeping bag was in the luggage on Appa. I carefully got it and a spare set of groundsheets out. "Here," I whispered, handing them to Zuko. He laid them out, but didn't lie down. I rolled my bag out but, because of the warm temperature, didn't get in it.

In the dark, I felt Zuko take my hand. I allowed him to pull me close.

"Good night," he whispered. I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"We shouldn't be so close, not with Sokka and Aang nearby," I reminded him. Zuko sighed, but let go of my hand. I pulled back a bit, but not so far that I couldn't hear Zuko's breathing or feel the warmth from his hand near mine.

* * *

Don't worry, I'm not done yet. I still have at least two or three more chapters before I put this fic to rest. 


	18. Chapter 18

I woke up to, yes, rain. Just a light shower at first, but I knew it was going to get harder, faster. I looked over and saw Zuko was still asleep.

_What do you know? I'm up first._ I reached over and gently shook Zuko awake.

"It's wet," he muttered, still drowsy. I giggled.

"It's raining. I need you to help me get my brother and Aang up. Aang's no problem, but my brother is a lazy bum and I'll need help," I said. Zuko nodded and stood, jumping off Appa.

I shook Aang, who came awake instantly. "Hey, it's raining again!" he cried.

"That's spring for you," I laughed. "Get that tarp out that Bumi gave you and get ready to fly as soon as I get Sokka up."

I went over and shook my brother a bit more roughly than I had Aang or Zuko. He ignored me. I went through the ritual of calling his name and kicking him, to no avail. Finally, I looked at Zuko, who sent a small blast of fire at my brother, catching his shirt on fire.

_That _woke my brother up. "Ah! Put it out!" I laughed as I watched my brother run around the camp, trying to kill the fire. Finally, I bent some of the rainwater into a big orb and doused the flame. As soon as it was out, my brother glared at Zuko.

"Drop the boomerang, Sokka. I asked him to blast you. It was the only way I could get you up faster." I pointed to the sky. "It's raining, and we need to get going."

Sokka noticed the rain, which was coming down harder and faster than when I woke up. He made a dash towards Appa, who Aang had covered with the tarp. As I ran after him, I heard Zuko mutter, "A tarp. A tarp would have been nice when we were trying to find them." I smiled.

As soon as we were all on Appa, Aang took the reins and gave his usually cry of "yip yip!" to Appa. I noticed Sokka smirking as Zuko turned pale and clutched onto the side of the saddle. I frowned at my big brother and moved closer to Zuko.

"Are you okay?" I asked in a whisper. Zuko looked at me.

"I…I wasn't expecting it," he said. I smiled and shook my head.

"You're afraid of heights, aren't you?"

"No! I'm just uncomfortable at extreme levels of altitude," he muttered. I giggled.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sokka glare at me. He was probably wondering what was so funny about the Fire Prince that I giggled. He hadn't spent three weeks in Zuko's presence, so I didn't worry about him.

We flew most of the day, not even stopping for lunch. The rain finally stopped around dinnertime, so we stopped and made camp. Zuko helped me set up the tents while Sokka and Aang got firewood and the stuff for dinner out.

"Hey, can you do us a favor?" Sokka called to Zuko.

"What?"

"Light this stupid pile of wood. My tinder and flint aren't working," my brother lamented. Zuko rolled his eyes and sent a blast of fire at the wood.

"There. Happy?" Zuko asked in the same condescending tone I heard him use with me when we were first captured. But now…now whenever Zuko spoke to me, it was in a gentle voice I never would have expected from him.

Zuko looked at me with a look that clearly said he wondered how I had lived my entire life with him. "Patience," I mouthed. "Lots of patience."

Sokka never thanked Zuko for lighting the fire, and Zuko obviously didn't expect him to. Neither did I, to tell the truth. What really surprised me was that Aang seemed to accept Zuko as part of our traveling group now, at least for a time. Then I remembered that Zuko had saved Aang once before, so Aang had a reason not to hate Zuko so much. He was still cautious around Zuko, but that was to be expected.

It was shortly before dinner was ready when it started to rain softly again, making the fire flicker. Zuko sent another blast of fire at the wood. "I'll go find more wood," he said, standing. (He had been sitting by Appa, brooding.) I got up from my patching of Sokka's spare shirt.

"I'll go with you. You know, to help carry the wood," I added, seeing Aang and Sokka's faces. I knew Zuko didn't need help, but I wanted to talk to him alone. Zuko nodded and we left the camp.

Once we were far enough away, I turned to Zuko. "Thank you for not killing my brother," I whispered.

"Yeah, well, if he keeps giving me those looks, I'll roast him," Zuko muttered threateningly. I took his hand in mine.

"Zuko, don't do something you'll regret," I murmured. "I don't you to fight each other, because either way, whether you win or he wins, one of you will get hurt." Zuko's head turned to me. I could dimly see his scar in the wet darkness.

He pulled me close to him, so close I could see his entire face. "I promise." We kissed softly, pulled away for breath, then leaned in once more.

When we finally parted, I remembered what Sokka and Aang thought we were doing. "We should start looking for wood," I murmured. Zuko nodded and we began to look for wood that was still decently dry. We ended up finding a few pieces before we headed back.

"About time," Sokka grumbled. I sighed and set the wood down on the still flickering fire.

"That's all we could find; sorry," I apologized. Sokka just shrugged and doled out dinner. It was good and hot, despite being a little watery from the rain.

"Well, he certainly can't sleep out in the rain, so where's Mister Grumpy gonna sleep?" Sokka asked Aang. I frowned. Zuko made as if to rise, but my hand stopped him.

"We have two tents, right?" Aang nodded. "You and Sokka take one, and I'll share the other with Zuko." I expected outbursts of objections and was not disappointed.

"No. No, no, no, no, no," Sokka said. "I don't trust him not to…you know."

"Take advantage of me? Sokka, if he wanted to, don't you think he would have by now? I mean, we were alone together for three weeks," I pointed out.

"Still, no. I changed my mind; he can sleep in the rain," Sokka said, crossing his arms. I sighed.

"You may be older, but who did Mom always leave in charge when she and Dad went out to visit one of the other villagers?" I asked. "I'll be fine. Should he try anything, I scream. And you know how loud I can scream." Sokka and I had it out until the rain was coming down fast and hard, and Momo had long since ducked under Appa's tail for protection.

"Sokka, forget it! I trust Zuko (at least somewhat), and I'm the Avatar!" Aang called. "It's raining and I'm tired."

"Fine," Sokka pouted as he turned in. I sighed in exasperation and went into the other tent, motioning for Zuko to follow me.

"I'm sorry that took so long," I muttered to Zuko. "My brother is…stubborn, to say the least. And he really does care for me, he's just overprotective." I set about getting the blankets tucked in the corner set out.

"I noticed," Zuko replied. Suddenly, I felt his hands on my waist. I straightened up and he wrapped his arms around me. Gently, he kissed my neck, making me moan softly. "Why would he worry about me?"

"Because of all the times you chased us, fought us, and captured me. He loves me," I murmured.

"As do I," Zuko murmured. I felt a fluttering in my stomach when he said that. Slowly, I turned to face Zuko.

"What did you say?" I murmured.

"I love you, Katara." I caressed Zuko's cheek, then leaned in to kiss him.

"That's what I thought you said."

* * *

The next morning started with the songs of birds that the rain had chased off. I awoke to find Zuko missing.

"Probably meditating," I muttered, getting up. I blushed when I saw the messed up groundsheets. (Zuko and I hadn't been able to sleep for a while the previous night, needless to say.) I straightened them up a bit, hoping Sokka wouldn't notice they were messy and assume the very worst.

I exited the tent, spotting Zuko by the embers of last night's fire, meditating.

"Knew I'd find you meditating," I joked. Zuko opened one eye and huffed.

"I couldn't get much sleep last night, so I'm tired," he replied, pulling a stony face. "Don't aggravate me."

"It never crossed my mind," I teased. "Where are Sokka and Aang?"

"Still asleep, of course. And I'm serious, don't aggravate me. Someone kept me up most of the night," he said, opening his eyes and looking pointedly at me. I smirked and gently kissed his lips.

"Doing what? That? If I remember, someone kept me up doing the same thing," I retorted. Zuko growled in mock annoyance and grabbed my hand, pulling me down next to him.

"And you have a problem with it?" he asked.

"Of course not," I murmured and leaned in to kiss him.

_Big _mistake. I heard a rustling and the sound of footsteps, but not before it was too late. By the time I realized Aang and Sokka were awake, I was already wrapped in Zuko's embrace.

"Get away from my sister!" I felt myself being pulled away from Zuko by my brother, who was furious. Aang came rushing over.

"Katara, are you okay?" he asked, worried. "He didn't hurt you?"

"No, of course not," I replied absently. I was more worried about what my brother was doing.

He was jabbing Zuko with his club, yelling. "You ever so much as look at her again and I'll kill you!"

"Sokka, I'm fine," I called out. My brother turned to me.

"Are you sure? That…monster didn't hurt you last night, did he?" I sighed.

"One, Zuko isn't a monster, he's a human. Two, no! Why would he?"

"Because he's a low down monster who stole your first kiss," Sokka replied, glaring at Zuko.

"He didn't _steal _anything," I retorted. "And it wasn't my first kiss, either. If you must know, _I _kissed _him._"

Sokka stopped and Aang turned to look at me. "What? Why? And what do you mean, it wasn't your first kiss?" Sokka demanded.

I bit my lip. "Well, one, my first kiss was back in the caves with Aang so we could get out," I said, "so how could he steal something I didn't have for him to steal? And second off, I kissed him because I…love him."

There. I'd said it. It was out in the air and there was no going back. Zuko knew I loved him (last night was enough to tell him that), but without saying it, I could have pretended to just be a close friend of his until the time was right and Sokka accepted Zuko a bit more.

Sokka's jaw dropped and Aang seemed betrayed. I couldn't look at my brother, so I turned to Aang with a look that said I was sorry for betraying him. Aang nodded and gulped, but he still seemed upset. I faced my brother.

"You…you can't. He's tricked you into saying that! He's made you think you love him," Sokka ranted.

"Sokka-"

"You wouldn't betray Aang, you wouldn't betray me by falling in love with the enemy."

"Sokka, will you please-"

"A few days away from him and you'll realize how stupid this is, Katara, trust me. We'll get you back to normal."

"Sokka!" My brother shut up. "Will you listen to me? I'm not being tricked into saying anything, and the only thing Zuko's done to me is love me back. You think I didn't feel as if I was betraying you guys when I first kissed him?" I asked. "I did. I knew you'd be upset, and Aang would be betrayed, but the more time I spent with Zuko, the more I loved him, and I couldn't stop myself. What's more, I didn't want to."

"But, why?" Sokka asked, dejected.

"I don't know! You don't pick who you fall in love with!" I cried. "But if I could have, I would have picked Zuko anyway, though I wouldn't have known it. He's not the enemy, Sokka, he's just a traveler now."

"Well, he's not traveling with us, and that's final. I may not be able to forbid you to be in l-be in l-"

I smirked. "Love?" Sokka tensed.

"Yes, that. I may not be able to forbid that, but I can forbid you traveling with him. C'mon, Aang, let's pack up."

Aang and Sokka left Zuko and me as they packed up. There were tears in my eyes as I walked over to Zuko.

"I'm sorry he doesn't understand," I muttered. Zuko pulled me away from the other two, behind Appa.

"It's fine. I'm used to rejection," Zuko murmured, bringing me close.

"No, it's not fine. I love you, and he just can't accept that." Tears were falling, wetting Zuko's tunic.

Zuko lifted my face and kissed me one last time. "He will, sooner or later."

"But what if I never see you again, or we fall in love with someone else?" I asked.

"How can we?" I smiled. "And we'll be traveling in the same direction; chances are Azula will catch up to you and you'll need my help." Zuko smirked.

I nodded, then slipped from his embrace. "Good-bye, Prince Zuko."

Zuko merely nodded as I went around the other side of Appa. Sokka was getting everything on the saddle.

"We're leaving a pack of food for…_him_," he told me. "Though I'd like to be leaving nothing, Aang insisted." I turned to Aang and mouthed a thank you. "Come on. We're leaving."

I sat on Appa, looking down for Zuko, but he had vanished. I sighed, turning back as we lifted off. When I looked back again, we were far above the campsite and I could dimly see a dark figure against the grass, picking up a smaller dot.

* * *

Finally! I got this stupid chapter to upload. And don't worry, I have one last chapter, which will make this my longest fic ever. The question is, when do I update...hmm...? 


	19. Chapter 19

Ya'll can thank bumbleBEE243 for being my tenth reveiw on chapter eighteen. I wasn't going to update until I got ten and guess what? Now, on with the show.

_

* * *

One year later…_

The war was over, of course. Aang had won and Zuko had ascended his throne with the honor due to him.

I hadn't seen the prince since Sokka blew his temper and we had left Zuko alone. Sokka was injured in the final battle, so I had taken him home to tend to him while Aang tended to the world's problems.

There were times that I dreamt of the romance Zuko and I had shared during those three weeks we were alone together, but I doubt if he still cared for me that way. Then the letter came.

I was in the new hospital that the Waterbenders from the North Pole had built (they had gotten a lot done), tending to an Earth Kingdom fighter's broken leg, when my father came in, a scroll in his hand.

"Do you know anyone in the Fire Nation, Katara?" he asked. I smiled.

"You mean other than the Avatar? Why?" He held out the scroll.

"This just came for you in the latest relief supply ship. The man who handed it to me said it was urgent and he was not to leave without your answer."

I motioned to another healer, from the North Pole, to take over for me and I took the scroll from my father. It bore the royal symbol of the Fire Nation. My hands shook in anticipation as I opened and read.

"To Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, from Fire Lord Zuko of the Fire Nation, greetings." I smiled softly. Zuko was forced to write with all the pomp and circumstance that befitted a Fire Lord now, and I could tell it annoyed him. I read on.

"It is my wish that you would honor the Fire Nation with your presence and the presence of your brother if his health would allow. Avatar Aang has expressed a desire to see his old friends again and bade me to send an invitation. Please send your reply back with my messenger."

I smiled. Sokka, who was busy flirting with a healer named Synai, looked over at me. "What?"

"We've been invited to visit the Fire Nation," I said. Sokka would have jumped up if his legs were not heavily bandaged to keep them still. (He had suffered from two badly broken legs. An elderly healer from the North Pole had said Sokka's legs would heal, but he would need rehabilitation exercises.

"When can we leave?" he asked. I laughed.

"Are you sure you can go? You don't have any…plans, do you?" I asked sneakily, looking at Synai. The two blushed. "And what about your legs?"

Sokka scoffed. "There are healers at the Fire Palace, aren't there? I'll be fine. And if it looks like you'll be there for longer than a month, I'm come back, okay?"

I sighed. My brother was still stubborn. I knew it wasn't a good idea for him leave the South Pole when he could barely walk without support, so I was going to have convince him.

"Sokka, look. You can't walk two feet without extreme pain, let alone all over the Fire  
Palace (and you know Aang will want to show us around). I'll go and send you letter about everything. I'm sure Aang will understand," I said. Sokka sighed and took Synai's hand.

"You're right. Promise me you'll send me letters?" I laughed and kissed my big brother.

"Of course. Dad, where's the ship?" Dad pointed out the door.

"Where it always is, Katara." I nodded and ran out the door.

I found the ship, along with Zuko's messenger. It was a typical rank-and-file Fire Solider, with the pointed helmet and the faceguard. Why would Zuko trust a regular grunt with a message?

"Tell your Lord I accept his invitation and to expect me on the next supply ship he sends out," I said, bowing. "My brother cannot accompany me, regrettably."

A voice from the ship called out, "That'll probl'y in a week. For some reason, Lord Zuko wanted our departure and that'un's arrival to be extremely close." I looked up to see the captain. I bowed to him.

"Thank you." He shrugged and went about his business. The solider bowed and boarded the ship. I ran back to the hut to get my things together.

A week flew by at amazing speeds. Gran-Gran helped me to do my hair up in a style more suited to young lady. She hugged me and sent me out to await the ship.

Sokka, supported our dad, was there to see me off. "Don't forget to send letters, or I'll send my boomerang after you," Sokka said, squeezing me as the ship hove into view.

"D'you think it'll reach me in the Fire Nation?" I joked. Sokka swatted at me, but I ducked. Soon, I was waving goodbye to my father and brother as I sailed to the Fire Nation.

* * *

"Katara!" The wind was knocked out of me as Aang threw himself on me.

"Hey, Aang. Nice robes," I said, slightly breathlessly. Aang stood back and blushed.

"You like them? I kinda outgrew my monk robes, so Zuko had his tailors make me some new robes, in orange and yellow though, not red and black. Speaking of Zuko, you should see what he's done with the palace! It's not the dark, cheerless place it was when you and Sokka were here last," he said excitedly.

Just then, fanfare sounded out and everyone near us on the docks bowed. "Here comes Zuko himself," Aang muttered. "I don't have to bow, being the Avatar, and he told me you don't have to either.

A palanquin with silk covering the sides approached us, carried by who had to be extremely strong men. They kneeled, and another man came rushing around with a small stepladder. He set it down and pulled back the curtains to let Zuko out.

Zuko looked amazing in his new silk robes and his hair back to being in a topknot. It wasn't the traditional topknot of Fire Lords, since Zuko had considerably more hair on is head than past rulers had had. (And no sideburns, thank heaven.) He bowed to Aang, who returned the bowed, and then Zuko bowed to me. I fought to keep a straight face as I bowed in return. Was this the spoiled prince that had chased us over a year ago?

Zuko said nothing, merely motioned for a servant to take my things. The one with the ladder came forward.

"Thank you," I muttered, handing my luggage to him. The servant just bowed and rushed back to his place.

"You ride back with Zuko, Katara," Aang said. "I'm on my way to the Shezun Province of the Earth Kingdom to handle a dispute between the armies there. I'll be back in about…five days, give or take."

I nodded and followed Zuko. He climbed in the palanquin first, then took my hand to help me. At his nod, the curtain fell back, and the men who carried the box started up.

I was silent, not knowing what to say or do. Thankfully, Zuko spoke first.

"I didn't want to bring this thing," he said, motioning to the palanquin, "but there's protocol I didn't know about, apparently."

"I'm kinda glad you did bring it. It's _hot_ in the Fire Nation," I said, taking my handkerchief and wiping the sweat from my face.

"Try wearing many layers of silk, and then complain about the heat," Zuko muttered, handing me a fan. I smiled.

"Sokka wanted to come, but he can hardly walk right now," I explained. Zuko nodded.

"I know. I was the soldier who you gave the reply to," he said, smirking. I swatted him with my fan.

"You may be Fire Lord, but you're still the same sneaky prince you'll always be." The box was filled with cushions and I laid down on them, tired from the long journey across the sea. I didn't ask what happened to Azula, knowing that she was currently chained to a wall in the darkest dungeon. (Rumors get around.)

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, I was lying on a bed of the softest red silks imaginable. Sitting up, I saw the entire room was red silk, except for the blue silk dress laid out across the foot of my bed. I got up and set about cleaning the travel's dust off and changing into the dress; in short, making myself look presentable.

I was sitting at the vanity, redoing my hair, when someone knocked on the doorframe, the door being a piece of silk.

"Come in," I called. Zuko entered, out of the heavy robes he had greeted me in. He had changed into a lighter silk robe. The Fire Lord watched as I finished doing my hair.

I stood and went over to him. "What is it, Z-" I was cut off as Zuko's lips pressed against mine. I closed my eyes and opened my mouth to receive his kisses eagerly.

"It's been too long, Katara," he whispered, his lips barely leaving mine.

"It has been, a year to be precise," I murmured, relieved that he, too, had missed me. We kissed again, each kiss feeling like rain filling a river that had been dry for a year. Zuko took the comb from my hair, setting it on the vanity edge, running his hands through my hair. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Zuko pulled away slightly. "There's another reason I asked you here."

"I figured as much. You wouldn't have written the invitation yourself otherwise," I said, smiling as I caressed his face. "What else?"

"I need to find a wife," he said, "for…obvious reasons." I nodded. He needed an heir. "I asked you here to see if you would honor me and become Fire Lady Katara."

"Won't there be issues since I'm a Waterbender?" I asked, not daring to believe he had just ask me to marry him. Zuko kissed me softly.

"I'm Fire Lord; I can marry who I want," he murmured, his voice a low growl.

"Doesn't she get a say in it? And what about her parents?" I asked, rubbing his shoulders.

"Who wouldn't want their daughter to marry royalty, even Fire Nation?" Zuko asked. "Your father already gave permission; there was a separate note for him in the scroll from me," he whispered in my ear.

"Well, then, how can I say no?" I said, smiling. Zuko returned my smile and leaned in to kiss me.

"You can't," he said before he claimed my lips for his own in a passionate kiss.

* * *

Well, that ends Prisoners of Fate. But fear not! I have already got a new story in the works and it should be up soon. See ya then! 


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